Skinchanger
by WolfGurlBites
Summary: It was just a casual night for Leena. But when she awakes, she will find she is in the most unexpected of places, and will soon be set on a very unexpected journey. Will be set amidst the journey of the Fellowship.
1. Chapter 1

_First fanfiction I have done so far. I do not own LOTR. (Lord of the Rings)_

The mist rolled into the hills and drifted in through the window, and the girl shivered. Her icy blue eyes naturally alert as the computer screen lit her face in the darkness of the room. Loud snores surrounded her and she couldn't help but think;

'Why must my headphones run out of batteries? On this night? Really?'

She scrolled through the Internet pages, and found herself slowly drifting off to sleep, until finally, she lay with her head back against the large pillow and slept silently, the laptop eventually going dark from it's timed settings.

Legolas was not on patrol like the Guards were, he merely watched them from a distance, his hand to his chin in inquisitive contemplation. His thoughts rolled back to his King's instructions

"You are to travel to Rivendell, as Lord Elrond requires the guidance of the Elves. I cannot go, so you will go in my stead." Thranduil said, crossing the room to sit at the head of the long table where many other grand Elves often sat in Council discussions.

"May I ask as to why, father?" Legolas asked with a gentle voice, but his brows furrowed in confusion. Thranduil raised his fingers to his lips and brushed them softly, lightly touching them, gazing down at the table's edge in thought.

"It is not my fate Legolas." he said solemnly, his vibrant eyes drifting to look at his son. Legolas bowed his head, and left curtly, but his fists clenched as he was frustrated with his father. He watched the leaves fall from the great trees that adorned the Forests of Mirkwood. Contrary to its name, Mirkwood was not murky at all, like many assumed by the mere name of it. It was grand, and plentiful with life and purity, at least it was before the Orcs, and the ever approaching darkness. Perhaps it would never be as illuminating as Lothlorien, or majestic like the great Rivendell was, but it was his home. A small smile graced Legolas' lips as he reminisced upon his childhood. It was perhaps not as free as the raising of men's kin, but it was kind and gentle. His skills with a bow unmatched, his versatility swift. He walked across his room as his hand went to clasp behind his back, walking to look down upon his travelling attire. The smooth silver fabric elegant, and yet he knew it was durable. He glanced back at the armor he was so accustomed to wearing had settled upon his bed and sighed. He knew not of what would become of him, for he felt something different within the world, a great shift coming. Whispers of the Ancient Evil snuck from his Father's mouth to the innocent Elf Prince's ears, and he could not help the dread he felt. Shaking his head with one swift move, his head was clear of ill fated thoughts of past or future and he adorned himself with the needed robes he would wear on his travel to the realm of the great Lord Elrond.

He pulled his long blonde hair from beneath the cloth and opened the doors from his room, crossing the great wide hall and walking swiftly past many Elves, nodding curtly when one greeted him. His horse awaited him at the edge of the great household, and he took notice of his weapons being already packed as well as the extra set of clothing needed in times of dire distress should his current clothes be stolen, damaged or not needed. His horse moved of its own accord and soon many of the Elves followed suit, already set for the journey that was at hand. With a glance back at his home, he said goodbye with a sad gaze upon his household, then looked forward, unwilling to look back.

"We must act now if we are to open the door to our world. While he is still unconscious." one said.

"Yes, yes, we must do it now." the other replied. They held their hands together over the body of the half dead wizard and chanted the needed words.

'This life gone

Another must return

The child with blue

Which fire cannot burn

Bring forth the spirit of white

And the One of old.

May they travel safe through time

From and to worlds untold.'

They chanted this, until the wizard drew his last breath, and his pulse had ceased. The earth began to shake, and thunder pierced the air, lightning setting fire to surrounding fields of white, and oceans bursting forth. The fury of the mighty elements shook, bounded, and the two knew they had done it.

"She is coming." The first whispered. The Second nodded and smiled giddily.

"We must away. We are not needed here after this." The Second said, taking the First by the hand and walking down the dark hole, which shrank, oozing to slowly becoming nothing.

The wizard's skin had begun to darken, but a shrill scream filled the air and he bolted upright, choking on life once more, and unaware of what had just occurred during his absence from the world. He fell back and lay, sleeping, regaining his strength. His soul drifted back to it's rightful place, and he would soon find himself lying beneath an Ent, its roots safeguarding him from mortal danger until he regained his strength. Though, in the morning he would not have much a conversation with the herder of trees, he was much too busy for the wizard.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Lord of the Rings, or it's character's except my own, Leena.

Chapter Two

(Leena's POV)

I woke up feeling colder than usual, and a distant grunting in the back of my head. I felt the world shifting beneath, flying from my feet...wait…

I snapped open my eyes and looked around. I stopped as a loud roar echoed, a roar of shrill pitch, like the squealing of a pig, and another like a lions. I turned my head and saw a foul looking monster, its hide black, black as tar with white marks on its face, and its face like that of an ugly pig and a cat. I stiffened in fear as it knelt down to me, sticking it awful smelling fingers in my face and jerking my chin.

"You're a pretty little thing aren't ya?" it rumbled. I felt fear course through me and screamed, jerking my body and pulling at whatever had me restrained. Groans and roars filled the air as my feet impacted with my captors vile faces. Rolling my legs backward and somersaulting upright, I backed away, my noticeably bound hands held out in front of me. A growl came from the one who touched me and it held in its hand a long sharp weapon, the end of it arching up and pointing. I watched as he lunged and I swerved to the side, scraping the ropes that held my hands together against the weapon and freeing myself. Others grabbed me by my arms and legs and I kicked their faces, headbutted back into them, and elbowed them in their stomachs. I was soon dropped, landing on the balls of my bare feet and I sprinted across the dry ground, running as fast as I could across the dark forest, the leaves grey and black and the branches twisted inwards. I looked back to see them almost catching up to me and ran faster, pushing myself harder.

'Go Leena. Fucking run, run as fast as you can. You don't know where the fuck you are but you know this: Run.' I chanted in my head. My head rolled back to a tune that always helped me feel the adrenaline, of the rush of running fill my body and soon I could feel nothing but the hard wind pushing into my face. I ran, leaping over a fallen tree and not finding a good footing, found myself rolling down a leaf covered hill, bruising my arms, but I didn't care. I got back up and sprinted, running through the thickest cover I could find, my hands jutting back and forth from my view as my feet slapped against the hard ground.

Panic and desperation rose into my stomach as I realized I was alone, stranded, in a strange place, in a place close to a nightmare. Beasts chasing after me and I was running away to a direction that I wasn't sure had any help, shelter, or food for that matter.

An arrow whipped by me, scratching my arm and I didn't bother to look back. I stumbled as I stopped to find a huge rushing river in front of me, stony bottom and rocky edges, the possibility of drowning, but I didn't care. I jumped and dove straight in and pumped my feet, my legs and arms pushing myself across. A couple more arrows were shot into the water and two had caught in my side below my rib and in my shoulder blade. I grabbed onto a rock on the other shore of the river and hauled myself up, stumbling onto the stones and wincing as their rocky edges cut into my flesh. I regained my fear and kept running, jumping through the branches of tall pines, and running down a long patch of land. I didn't want to look back. I ran for an hour, straight, then jogged, and walked down a winding pathway of stone. I stopped and felt my breath catch in my throat.

It was miraculous.

A valley of waterfalls and rivers.

A city, a building, an actual place. A mansion maybe, but I didn't care. If no one was there, it meant shelter for the time being, but as I stood there on the very edge of a winding walkway across a rock face, I took notice of men wearing strange armor, helmets and weapons standing above me. I stiffened and slowly walked underneath, stealthily making my way down the path. I then broke into a sprint and leapt from one pathway onto another, falling great lengths, not wanting to run any longer and attempt to withstand the pain of such grand jumps onto stone until I finally caught myself on my hands and finally landed on plain ground, then looked up to see a great arch with beautiful designs. I stood from my unusual crouch, then stiffened as out of nowhere, in the blink of an eye, I was surround by arrows. But these were people, at least that's what I guessed, they only had pointed ears and made me feel like the foulest creature to ever be made in comparison to their beauty. A man stepped forward to me, wearing a long red robe, a silver crown on his head and long black hair, longer than I'd ever get mine to grow. I stared and looked at him. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"What are you doing here?" he asked with a deep foreboding voice. I swallowed then looked around.

"I ran. To here...I didn't think…" I started, but then felt the need to take a deep breath, so I did. As I fell to rest my hands on my shaking knees, a man let loose an arrow into my arm. I winced but took the wound, ripping the arrow out and dropping it to the ground. I took a deep breath then straightened and looked at the man.

"I was unaware that this place would inhabited by people with arrows, I was merely running for my life by strange ugly, smelly, beasts." I said, closing my eyes and shaking my head in disgust.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked, stepping forward. I was getting pissed.

"Giant fucking beasts with black skin, foul smell, they had fucking white marks all over their skin!" I roared, baring my teeth at the dumb man. His eyebrows shot up, shocked, and another archer pressed his arrowhead to my throat. I turned and looked at him in the eye.

"You dare lose that arrow into my jugular, I will take your head from your shoulders." I growled to him, glaring. The man in front made a motion with his hand and the archers backed off. I suddenly felt him take my hand and surprise was written across my face.

"My name is Elrond of Imladris." He said, gently pulling me towards him as he walked. I held his hand and gazed at him. We began to walk towards the great buildings of white and grey, or perhaps it was green. Once we were out of the archers earshot, I looked to Elrond.

"Sir, I am sorry about my rudeness, I just wasn't expecting to be bombarded again." I said to him apologetically. He nodded, glancing at me and stopped. He walked behind and touched the arrows in my back lightly.

"How are you standing this much pain?" he asked, almost confounded with pure wonderment.

"I can take a lot of pain. Plus my body's running off of pure fear, so the adrenaline has numbed out the pain, but soon this is going to hurt." I said, bowing my head. He walked swiftly ahead of me and began calling out in a language I didn't understand. Soon beautiful women surrounded me and Elrond vanished from sight. They guided me quickly down halls to finally set me down on a gorgeous bed, and one pulled the arrow from my shoulder quickly, another random lady pulling the two from my rib to which I let out a yelp and covered my wound. The women left hurriedly, speaking in illustrious hushed tones while one stayed and looked into my eyes.

"Remove your clothes." she said. I looked at her then looked down, uncomfortable, and stood. I took off my black tank top, slipped off my shorts and underwear and stood before her naked. She turned, picking up a small box, and opened it. She dipped her fingers into a thick, creamy substance and slid it over my arm, walking behind me to run it across my wound below my ribs and across the one on my shoulder. She closed the box, set it down on a small table, and turned to me.

"Sleep, young one. We will discuss your fate tomorrow." she said, bowing her head, then shut the doors to the room. I looked around, then slid into the bed and faced the windows.

I closed my eyes, wishing to truly wake up.

******Legolas (Next Day)

My Elven warriors and I approached the great entrance to Rivendell, halting our galloping horses and I leapt off, gazing over the glorious haven of Elven kind. I walked swiftly forth to grasp Elrond's hand and pat his other arm as he did the same to me. I smiled.

"Lord Elrond, you grace us." I said. He returned with a closed mouth smile, the closest I had ever seen him smile. A look of regret crossed his eyes and it was then I felt the blood between our hands. I didn't have to look down, I could smell it. We walked off to the side and pulled our hands part.

"What do you smell, Legolas, son of Thranduil?" he asked. I raised the blood upon my hand to my nose and looked at my hand confused.

"Orc poison." I said. Elrond sighed. I looked up at him with concern as his hands returned to their previous state, being folded in front of him.

"A young girl leapt from the steep cliffs of the stone stairwell and claimed she was hunted by orcs. Shot three times, the girl may not survive the poison." he said solemnly.

"How far has she travelled?" I asked. He shook his head in answer.

"I would like to meet this girl. Is she Elven?" I asked. He shook his head.

"A female of Man?" I asked. Elrond shook his head again.

"What then?"

"She is something I have never seen before Legolas, I ask you to approach with caution." he said. I nodded and he bowed his head curtly, then walked swiftly down the long hall within his house and opened a door, gesturing for me to enter. I heard the door shut behind me, but every other sense I had was lost.

She had scars across her shoulders, arms and back, and her skin looked to be silk to the touch. Her hair fell in a mess of wavy black and white tendrils, her small hands cracking her knuckles, then falling back to rest in the bed. I felt...something for this girl. She finally turned to look at me and I stiffened. Her eyes held depth that even my father could not hold, not any man or Elf held that much sadness, anger, lust and love in their eyes. No, she was indeed not of Man, though she looked it. Her eyes were blue yet had rings that reminded me of snow and ice, her mouth close to the color of white but they must have been naturally plump and red.

"I am Legolas, son of Thranduil. And you are?" I asked, walking to sit upon her bed and place my hand on her thigh. She glanced at my hand then looked at me, suspicion and surprise filling her eyes.

"Leena." she answered, pulling on the blankets to cover her chest. She gazed down at the soft robe I wore and leaned to touch it. I thought she would grab a handful and pull at it, sniffing it, asking how to make it, but she did something rather odd. She ran her fingers lightly across and touched the small broach that held it together.

"A gift?" she asked, dropping her hand.

"Yes." I said. Her eyes flickered over to the stack of clothes meant for her and back to me.

"Do you mind closing your eyes?" she asked.

"Why?"

"I want to change, I'm kind of hiding my nudity under these blankets." she said. I felt heat rise to my face and boldly said quite an unnatural thing: "I have seen many naked women before, do not feel uncomfortable."

And I added a gentle smile. She narrowed her eyes then shrugged and pulled the blankets up with her to across the room, wrapped loosely around her body, then dropped them. The things I felt staring at her body was strange, foreign and...it felt exhilarating. My eyes curved along every bruise, scar and mark on her body, her smoothly pale skin in contrast to her hair. She had the build of a fighter, muscles slightly shown as she adjusted the sheer dress. It was when she took the clothes and turned to face me while putting them on that I seemingly lost all coherent thought. Her ribs slightly showed, her stomach was a little fuller than most Elf women, but it gave a beautiful curve, and her breasts were...they were…

"Bountiful." I whispered, staring. She froze and glared at me.

"What'd you say?" she asked, tilting her head and taking on an intimidating look.

"B-beautiful." I said, smiling. I faced the other direction and was digging my nails into the skin of my palms, utterly confused. I glanced back and saw her cheeks were deeply red and she was hugging herself around the waist.

"What is wrong?" I asked, standing, coming to her side. The way she smelled...Elves didn't have a smell, Man just reeked of ale and Dwarves always had bones stuck in their beards, so they smelled foul. But she….she smelled exotic, new, and tempting. A temptation that seemed to be torturing me in some unknown way.

"I'm assuming you have a girlfriend." she said, pushing her hair back with her fingers and looking at me. I shook my head in confusion. Groaning she bit her bottom lip and I felt a smirk bite the corner of my mouth but dropped it.

"A female who you engage sexual intercourse with?" she asked. I shook my head.

"Is that a shake of misunderstanding or as a No."

"I must admit, your terms are fervently strange to me, but I do know sexual and female. I do not know intercourse." I said, shrugging. Intercourse...what was that? Was it a strange term for being around large groups of people.

"Do you have a mate?" she asked. I raised my eyebrows at her and she smiled, which made me feel glorious to see.

"Aha! So you know that word." she said. I nodded.

"I do not have a mate, nor have I ever been mated, as am I never to mate. My father intends to save me for a high Lady of the Elven Council." I said. While all Elvin women were beautiful, most were the same, the exception being Arwen, who found her love in the last known descendant of Arathorn. I did not want to mate a woman so much older than me, though she may not have look it.

"Save you? You sound like a treasure to be kept well hidden." she remarked.

"I'm not very well hidden then," I said smiling at her, "Here I stand before you, and you can perceive me." I said. She blinked once then looked around the room, through me it seemed.

"Legolas, where'd you go?" she asked, walking to the other side of the room. Dread filled me and I gazed at her, shocked and fearful of perhaps a curse that had taken place. She turned to face me and burst out laughing loudly, holding her side as she caught her hand on the edge of the bed and continued to laugh, finally falling on her back, her one leg placed on the bed and laughing still.

"Your face Legolas, it was priceless!" she laughed out. My heart sped up when she said my name and heat filled shivers ran down my body. I walked to her and smiled watching her laugh, the sound even humorous to me yet beautiful at the same time. No one laughed like this, barely anyone laughed anymore in these dark times, but there she was. Laughing. I sat and looked at her.

"Did you truly not see me?" I asked. She stopped laughing for a moment and shook her head, wiping joyful tears away from her eyes.

"I did, I just wanted to see your face if I did that." she sat up and looked at me. I took her hand and backed up the bed, folding my legs. She looked at me confused.

"We have serious things to discuss now Leena." I said. I watched as the sparkle in eyes faded, as did her smile.

"What serious things?" she asked. I looked at her sternly.

"Where are you from?" I asked. She looked down, touched the palm of my hand and nodded silently to herself.

"I'm from another world." she said. I nodded, confused, but asked the next question.

"When did Orcs find you?"

"Orcs, you mean those foul creatures?" she asked. I nodded.

"I woke up being dragged by them, feet first. My hands and legs were bound by rope." she said. I looked at her confused.

"How many were there?" I asked. She closed her eyes and moved her fingers.

"Three held my legs, one touched my face, two others shot the arrows. So six." she said. I stared at her.

"How did you escape six Orcs with your hands bound?" I asked, shocked. She didn't carry any weapons and did not have help by my knowledge. She stood and pulled me up by my hand. I stood and watched her. She pulled us into the middle of the room then pressed her back into me and I felt something once more, making me stiffen and hold my breath.

"Two held me by my arms, when I headbutted them," she said, exhibiting it by taking my hands going through the motions of her defense moves. "The other two had me by my legs, which I kicked them in the face for. And finally, I elbowed the last two in their stomachs." she said, gently nudging my stomach with her elbow. I turned her around to face me.

"How did you cut the bonds?" I asked.

"When the first attacked, I kept my hands in his weapons line of sight and was well aware of the risk of my having my wrists sliced open. But it worked. Same goes for my feet." she said.

This girl was surprising as ever. She had escaped six orcs with no weapons, no armor, no shoes and no help. I only could imagine what she could do when she was angry with them if she had all the needed equipment.

"Final question." I said, taking her hands and looking at them. Her knuckles were cut up and her fingernails not very long.

"Go ahead." she said, nodding determinedly. I looked at her.

"How did you receive those other wounds?" I asked. Her determination faded and her grip in my hand loosed, sadness of the uttermost profound enveloping her. She let her head drop and sighed, ashamed.

"My mother."


	3. Chapter 3

Elrond paced his study, his fingers gripping each other in an interlock and sighed. Gandalf would be there any moment, he had seen it. He would be bringing the small creatures he called Hobbits to take shelter in his household once more. Elrond felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Galadriel in all her magnificent wisdom and beauty.

"Galadriel." he murmured and bowed.

"You called." she said, a smile creeping on her peach colored lips.

"Yes. Gandalf is returning here once again." he said.

"And?" she asked. Elrond sighed, gripping his fingers.

"This strange girl has just happened upon my people and we know not of who she is, where she is from, or what she is intending to do while here." he said. Galadriel's smile faded and she looked at him angrily.

"Her name is Leena. She is my sister's child, and she has returned at a time of great darkness." she said, raising her head high. Elrond felt absolutely lost.

"Where is she from?"

"Earth, another world of our own."

"You said she is here because of the approaching darkness, what does that mean?" he said. She shook her head gently, raising her hand to silence him, and he did so.

"Leena will take her place by one within the Council, and I cannot say who. She will protect him with all she is, and she will find another to protect. That is all I can say." she said. Elrond turned away, sighing as the water rushed beneath his home, the sound easing his mind. Galadriel touched his shoulder.

"Let her stand at your side during the Council. Let her see. And she will choose her fate." she said, and then her presence was gone.

"Your own mother?" I asked. She nodded and looked away.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because...I don't know why she did it actually." she answered. My body grew cold, stiff. No Mother had ever treated her child with this much malice. Not Elf or Man, never. She looked out the window then gasped and went out to the balcony. I followed her gaze, and it was then I saw it. The small dark butterfly with vibrant wings. It was a rare sight, a butterfly, even more rare that it was a River Shaded butterfly. Leena held out her finger and the butterfly settled gently on it, moving it's wings slowly, the color of black and blue shimmering to look like purple. She looked at me and took my hand gently, opened my hand and pointed my own finger, raising it. Our two fingers touched and the butterfly crawled and settled there between our fingers. My heart stopped at the possible meaning behind this sign. Leena watched as the butterfly flew away and was carried by the wind. River Shaded butterflies were a sign of love, unity. And one had decided to settle between our fingers. I felt my body glow with joy and pride. The doors slammed open and we jumped away from each other. I stiffened as one of my men entered.

"The Council will be adjourning tomorrow Legolas. Elrond requests your presence during it, Leena." he said. I widened my eyes and looked down at her, a look of shock same as mine on her own face. The Elf bowed, and then left closing the doors behind him. She turned and shrugged, confused. I smiled kindly and nodded, crossing the room to leave and go to my own. I turned and gave her a kind smile and nod, and left.

I was shocked, confused, excited. I went to my room and began undressing, it was then I felt what was strange. I was aroused. I shook my head and settled into my bed, yet all thoughts were back to her, that wild, bright, and abused young lady.

******_next day******_

(Leena)

The next morning, after a hard night of sleeping because of Legolas and his damn smiling, I was woken up by scurrying Elf maids who had pulled me from bed and had trouble brushing through my hair, but finally got through it, rushing to get me ready for the Council that had just started and Elrond was requesting me. They laid out a black dress and plaited my hair to be like Legolas's. They went on and on about each Elf had something different about their braids or hair. They left, telling me to eat the food they had set out for me. I nodded then turned and pulling on the black dress and felt my anxiety be smoothed down by the sheer lightness of the dress. I wasn't into dresses, but for once I'd enjoy wearing one. I picked up the small bowl of milk and a small slice of bread. Nodding again with the maids in my head, I drank the milk and ate the bread hurriedly, feeling my stomach fill with a pleasant warmth. I left my room and walked out, catching a marching guard.

I bowed my head then hurried down. Leaves made way as I walked quickly down the hall and took a left down a long path and stopped as a woven chair came into view. I walked silently to stand beside it, moving amongst the men and placed my hand on Elrond's shoulder, not wanting to scare him. He looked up at me and bowed his head as his greeting. Silence was in the air as I looked around the ring of men.

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of Old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom." He swiftly stood and his eyes fell upon a boy with curly black locks, baby blue eyes and a solemn look upon his face.

"Bring forth the Ring, Frodo." Elrond said, gracefully outstretching his arm in a gesture to the small pillar in the middle of the circle with a flat surface. The boy stood and it was then I realized he was no boy, he was just a tiny man, his eyes full of sadness and weariness. He set the Ring down and I flinched as voices filled my ears, speaking in foreign tongues.

"So it is true." a man said, leaned forward and covering his mouth with his hand. His hair was brown and he had a small beard and a growing mustache along with it. Another man's head went to the one leaning forward and I watched as his eyes were full of distrust. My eyes drifted back to the small man who sat next to a larger man with a great long grey beard and a staff with a crystal sitting upon the tip. He shared a look that held comfort and reassurance to the small man who sat back in his chair in fret. He gave a sigh in relief blinking for a moment. I looked upon all the other faces and Legolas' was laced with fear, distress, and curiosity, his gaze fixed upon the Ring, as was another man with red hair and a red beard, but movement caught my eye and I saw the man with brown hair stand.

"In a dream, I saw the Eastern sky grow dark. But in the West, a pale light lingered. A voice was crying:

'Your doom is near at hand! Isildur's bane is found!'" he said, approaching the Ring as if in a trance.

"Isildur's bane…" he whispered, his fingers reaching.

"Boromir!" Elrond stood. The old man who sat next to Frodo uttered dark words that shook the ground, but I didn't cower. All the light within Rivendell vanished as he spoke, his voice booming and the man cowering back in fear to his chair as Elrond's hand went to his head, the darkness of the older man's words bringing pain upon him. I saw Legolas shut his eyes in discomfort as well, as if he was drowning. As the man finished and the ground ceased to shake, the light returning to Rivendell, I looked to Elrond.

"Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris." he said, glaring over at the elder.

"I do not ask your pardon, master Elrond. For the black speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West!" his hateful gaze looking at every face in the Council, "The Ring is altogether evil." he said, turning away to his seat.

"It is a gift," Boromir said, shaking his head and looking to the Ring, "A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring?" he asked, standing and turning to look at the entire Council. I sighed, shaking my head.

"Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people, are your lands kept safe!" he said, his finger pointing. I gazed upon him, understanding his city's sacrifice, but his decision was idiotic. His argument invalid in every sense.

"Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy, let us use it against him!"

"You cannot wield it! None of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone, it has no other master!" a man said.

"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" Boromir spat back.

"This is no mere Ranger," Legolas said, standing in defense, "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance." he said, his eyes unwavering. I looked to the man, and regret flickered in his eyes. Boromir's gaze flew to the man.

"Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?" he asked in a disgusted tone.

"And heir to the throne of Gondor." Legolas commented, his voice strong and proudful.

"_Havo dad_, Legolas." Aragorn said, shaking his head and making a motion with his hand gently, but Legolas did not notice. Boromir turned to glare at him.

"Gondor has no King." he said, turning and walking back towards his seat, glaring back at Aragorn. "Gondor needs no King."

"Aragorn is right, we cannot use it." the elderly said, his staff being held in his folded arms. Elrond stood.

"You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed." he said. A sounding hiss came from the Ring and Frodo's eyes landed upon it once again.

"Then what are we waiting for?" the red haired man asked, standing up, grabbing his axe and then swung it with all effort to cut the Ring in half. I flinched as a flicker of a demonic eye flashed before my eyes and a resounding roar of resistance echoed in my head. I winced and closed my eyes. I knew the dwarf, as I had then noticed who he was, fell back from the force of the Ring. A deep voice rumbled the black speech of Mordor in my head, and I took a deep breath, opening my eyes and looked back toward the Council to see Frodo holding his head, pain biting at his temples as they shook.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess. The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came!" he commanded, his deep voice rumbling. The Ring uttered more and I shook my head, not allowing myself to hear it.

"One of you, must do this." Elrond said. Silence fell over the Council and I found myself wanting to step forth, and I was about to, but not before Boromir spoke in a deep, sorrowful tone.

"One does not simply walk into Mordor. It's Black Gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. and the Great Eye, is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland. Riddled with fire, ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this, it is folly." he said is a weary voice, shaking his head.

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said?" Legolas spoke, abruptly standing. "The Ring must be destroyed!" he yelled.

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" Gimli shouted back to him a challenging voice. Legolas glared over at the dwarf with eyes that warned him.

"And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" Boromir shouted back, standing.

"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" Gimli roared. I stiffened and fury shook up my spine, but already the Council had already roared to life, voices shouting over one another in opposition. Legolas held back his men with one arm.

"Never trust an Elf!" Gimli yelled. Gandalf's head fell and he shook and fear took over Frodo as he glanced at the Ring. I jumped as Frodo hopped to his feet.

"I will take it." he said, but no one heard him.

" I will take it!" he cried out. Silence slowly came and sadness filled Gandalf's eyes.

"I will take the Ring to Mordor." Frodo said. Shock went through the Council as they stared at the small man, but admiration and surprise flitted from Aragorn's gaze.

"Though," Frodo breathed. "I do not know the way." he said.

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins. As long as it is yours to bear." Gandalf said, taking a stand behind Frodo, patting his small shoulder. Aragorn stood.

"If by my life or death I can protect you, I will." he said. With swiftness he walked over and kneeled before Frodo.

"You have my sword." he said, standing and taking his place.

"And you have my bow." Legolas said, standing by his side.

"And my axe." gimli added with pride, walking over. Annoyance flickered over Legolas's face.

"You carry the fate of us all, little one." Boromir said, stepping forth. "If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done."

"Here!" a voice cried out and out from behind bushes a small man with strawberry blonde hair stood by Frodo with awkward pride.

"Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me!" he said, folding his arms determined.

"No, indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you, even when he is summoned to a secret council, and you are not." Elrond said, an eyebrow raised and a small smile. I laughed at his small parental mock and smiled.

"Oy! We're coming too!" a voice cried and two more small men ran over to Frodo from behind a pillar and Elrond turned to see them, flabberghasted with shock that his supposed secret Council was not secret at all.

"You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us." the small man said merrily.

"Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission...quest..thing." the other said, nodding his words, standing by his friends.

"Well that rules you out Pip." the one before said. I couldn't help but laugh again as I smiled at their loyal determination to each other.

"Nine companions. So be it, you shall be the Fellowship of the Ring." Elrond said.

"Great. Where are we going?" the one on the end asked. I shook my head and smiled at the sight, but stopped as my gaze landed on Gandalf who was eyeing me.

"It seems we have a stranger in our midst Elrond. Care to share as to who she is?" the elder asked, pointing to me. Elrond turned to looked at me.

"Gandalf, we came here to discuss Middle Earth, not the girl." Elrond said. Gandalf nodded.

"I can't help but wonder, my old friend. Is this perhaps your new-" he started, gesturing between me and Elrond.

"NO!" a voice shouted and I looked to Legolas, fury written across his face, and his body. His jaw was tight, his eyes dilated much like a cat's, and his arm muscles tense. Gandalf was surprised, as was I. Aragorn furrowed his eyebrows at Legolas.

"It seems Legolas took my gesture the wrong way." he said "I merely wondered if she was his daughter."

"Good." Legolas snarled out and my brows furrowed in confusion. Did he hate this man?

I looked at Gandalf as he walked to me and held out his hand.

"Gandalf the Grey." he said. I smiled a little and shook his hand.

"Leena." I said. He chuckled, shaking his head and turned to the rest of the room.

"Forgive me, it is a mere welcome Legolas." he said. Regret and embarrassment went through Legolas' cheeks and I tilted my head in wonder. Gandalf faced me once more and narrowed his eyes at me.

"You are strange. You are not of Man, or of Elf, but of both, and something else." He said.

"I hope she will be joining us." Gandalf said, looking at Elrond. Elrond looked at me instead.

"She is not of my blood, so she may decide." he said, raising an eyebrow. I looked at Gandalf, but my eyes went to look at Legolas whose eyes were telling me to say no, but I knew I had no purpose here in Rivendell. I looked back to Elrond.

"When does the Journey depart?" I asked.

"Tomorrow at dawn. I shall see you then." Elrond said, bowing and walked slowly off with the two other Elves. The fellowship began to depart as well leaving me alone. I smiled to myself, but then a sharp pain went through my back and I turned, looking into green eyes belonging to a woman with long red hair. I snarled and felt my bones break, a burning engulf and I jumped, ripping her skin, clawing and getting a hold of her neck as she sliced down my back with her sword. I yelped and shifted back, grabbing her hair, headbutting her and kicking her front leg back so she fell to her knees.

"Leena!" a voice yelled, and I looked back to see Legolas with anger and horror mixing together. The woman smirked at him and winked, then sliced my front arm. I snarled and kicked her in the chest and stomped on her stomach and crouched over, looking into her face. I took her sword from my back and stabbed it into her leg until I felt it hit the earth.

"You ever look at him or come near us again, I'll kill you." I growled. Terror filled her eyes and I moved off, shifting once again and taking off in a sprint to my room. I skidded to a stop in front of it then walked in, ripping my clothes off and crying out as a sharp pain rolled up my skin and I fell to the ground. She had cut cut deep into my arm and back and I knew I'd have to wash the wounds. I shifted and took a change of clothes into my jaws at the sky began to fade into darkness, and fit the small box of healing cream into my mouth. I nudged my rooms doors open then broke out into a sprint to the river that sat outside of Rivendells arch. ******

(Legolas)

I paced angrily on the cliffs, scouting the other side of the river. I was furious with her for attacking Tauriel, but somehow that was my head that was angry. When she had changed her form, I remembered it clearly. Her skin was consumed by a beautiful red glow and the sounds of her bones breaking and then she was a beautiful, large and elegant white wolf. When she attacked Tauriel with such passion, anger, I had felt something inside me change and I heard what she said. About looking at me. The warmth of being claimed by such a passionate woman like her had blinded my anger. Truly, I pitied Tauriel. She had always bragged about being unbeaten, but I had witnessed her defeat. I remembered when I thought Gandalf had thought Elrond and Leena were lovers, and it had made my entire body go cold and all the anger I thought I didn't possess rose to the surface. I wanted to kill the man. I held deep affection for her already but then it was lust. My ears caught motion coming from Rivendell and I raised my bow and pulled back an arrow, ready to release my anger out on a thief or whatever it was, but I felt my body go rigid. Leena dropped clothes and a small box from her jaws on a rock and yelped as she shifted back, her hair covering her face and taking a small box as she walked to the river. She was stepping into the river's water and it was then I saw the deep gash Tauriel had left on her back and forearm, and a tight knot coiled in my stomach. I had helped Tauriel to some Healers and maids after but left quite quickly after, yet I hadn't bothered to care for Leena.

She opened the box and smoothed the cream onto her gash and sighed, sinking into the water, a small gasp coming from her mouth. Everywhere it was night, the moon was high and the breeze was gentle. I could not help but be awestruck by her. She was beautiful, and as much as my mind told me to duel her, fight her, be furious, angry, my heart could not obey such insensitive things. I had seen her scars, not the ones just on her skin, but within her eyes. I could not help but feel kinship towards her and...love. Elves did not feel love or lust often. I slid down to kneel as I watched and stiffened when she sunk below the water, jumping back and whipping her wet hair back over her shoulders. She swam into the middle of the river and pulled herself up onto a rock, sitting with her smooth pale legs halfway in the water. I felt a need to touch her, caress her, and thoughts of licking the droplets of water from her smooth skin came to mind but I shook my head...I had become very foul minded. I watched her and closed my eyes, remembering her there. It was then I sat up, surprised, intrigued. A melodic sound filled the air, none like I had heard before. It was then I noticed it was coming from her.

"

'Tis the last rose of summer left blooming alone

All her lovely companions are faded and gone

No flower of her kindred, no rosebud is nigh

To reflect back her blushes and give sigh for sigh

I'll not leave thee, thou lone one, to pine on the stem

Since the lovely are sleeping, go sleep thou with them

Thus kindly I scatter thy leaves o'er the bed

Where thy mates of the garden lie scentless and dead

So soon may I follow when friendships decay

And from love's shining circle the gems drop away

When true hearts lie withered and fond ones are flown

Oh who would inhabit this bleak world alone?

This bleak world alone."

I stood and ran down the pathway and stepped onto the rocks of the shore, entranced by the lovely sound that had just ended.

"What was that?" I cried out. She jumped when she turned to see me and screamed and fell into the water. I stopped, looked around confused, and did the only thing I thought I could. I removed my bow, arrows and armor as well as the dress shirt and dove into the water and swam towards the rock. I caught sight of her legs kicking back up the surface and joined her there, gazing at her.

"You scared the shit out of me." she said, breathless and resting her head against the cold rock. I grabbed hold of the rock and gazed at her.

"Where did you learn to...do that?"

"Sing?" she asked. I nodded.

"My grandparents brought me with them to church and I was a soprano in the choir." she answered. I didn't know what church was.

"I was taught by some old lady." she said. I smiled and moved closer to her, wanting to know more.

"Can you teach me?"

"Perhaps. Have you ever sung before?" She asked. I shook my head and she gave a small laugh.

"Just, start with making a normal guy noise."

"Guy noise?" I asked, smiling. She shrugged.

"Just groan." she said, shrugging. I groaned and felt my throat vibrate.

"Now, try and take the tone you have there to a slightly higher pitch." she said. I did as she said and felt a strange sound come from my mouth. I tried not to laugh but couldn't help it, I did. I smiled and she smiled in return. I reached and touch her face and felt how smooth her skin was and let my hand slide down to her neck and stroked the side. Her breath hitched and she gazed at me with so many emotions flooding her eyes, the most prominent being intrigue.

"Will you sing again for me?" I whispered. Her eyes shifted and glazed over.

"What kind of song?" she whispered innocently.

"How many do you know?" I asked, smiling.

"Maybe 200 hundred, depending on my mood." she said.

"Truly?" I asked, quite shocked. 200 songs locked away in her mind, what else does she remember?

"Yes. But, I wonder what stories you liked as a child."

"Well…," I thought, considering, then began to feel heat flood my cheeks as I remembered one.

"What?" she asked, leaning her neck forward, bringing her face closer to mine. I gazed at her, watching the rays of moonlight shimmer on her white streaks.

"A tale of two lovers." I said. She blushed tremendously and looked down into the water in thought.

"Give me a minute." she said. She slowly gazed up at the moon and smiled, drifting down and gazed at me, then bit her bottom lip and took a breath. My heart stopped as she began.

" Underneath the echoes

Buried in the shadows

There you were

Drawn into your mystery

I was just beginning

To see your ghost

But you must know

I'll be here waiting

Hoping, praying that

The sky will guide you home

When you're feeling lost I'll leave my love

Hidden in the sun

For when the darkness comes

Now the door is open

The world I knew is broken

There's no return

Now my heart is not scared

Just knowing that you're out there

Watching me

So believe

I'll be here waiting

Hoping, praying that

The sky will guide you home

When you're feeling lost I'll leave my love

Hidden in the sun

For when the darkness comes

Oh

For when the darkness comes

Be here waiting

Hoping, praying that

The sky will guide you home

When you're feeling lost I'll leave my love

Hidden in the sun

For when the darkness comes

Hidden in the sun

For when the darkness comes."

She stopped and I could feel my chest tightening as each word she sang made me feel alive, enveloped with love within her voice yet I could not move closer to her, some unseen rope tying me to the rock as I lost myself in her eyes, her voice echoing in my head.

"I fear for you Leena." I said. The joy within her eyes vanished and she looked at me sadly.

"You do not wish for me to go with you." she said, a tone of pain within her voice that I could not ignore.

"I do not want you to get hurt." I said, gazing at her with concern.

"Legolas," she moved closer to me and looked me straight in the eye. "Elrond approves. I will join you for this journey, and I know that you will protect those you truly trust, those who matter. I will not let myself be a distraction unless needed. I just need to know you're safe." she said.

"I don't know how you can be safe with a group of men who-"

"I know my abilities Legolas, if my well being at the hands of our Fellowship is what you fear, then your fear stands from unclarity." she said. I shook my head.

"It is not unclear to me, I know men, and dwarves, they're riddled mad with lust."

"I am aware, but you do not see them attempting to come and see me or find me now, do you?" she asked, glancing around and bringing her body closer to mine.

"And...perhaps it is because I do not understand or know your feelings toward me, but I would've thought they would know better than to try anything with me with you around." she said. I couldn't help it, I laughed. Not at her, or at the memory, at the realization that all she said was correct. And then I noticed her other words. Did she truly not know how I felt...did I even know how she felt?

I thought it was pretty clear how I felt towards her, but she didn't know that everything I did with her was unlike Elven nature. She had laid claim to me on Tauriel, almost killing her in pure defense.

"I feel the same." I said. Her eyes brightened with happiness, and next thing I knew, her body pressed up against mine. But it was I who did it. My arm was wrapped around her back, pressing her close to me. I felt aroused by the look in her eyes, the way she curved into me to fit my body, and the soft silk touch of her skin. I pushed her hair back over her shoulder and ran a finger across her collarbone and heard her breath quiver. I smiled and ran my hand across her chest, my fingertips lightly brushing her flesh.

"Legol-" she started, but I kissed her hard, passionate. Her lips were plump, soft, and addicting. I felt her hands run up my chest and slide over my shoulders to press into my back. I grasped her cheek in one palm and kissed her deeply, a moan invading my senses and a profound smell coming from her. An intoxicating scent and I had to have her, I wanted her, achingly. She nipped my lip and growled, a warning to me. She was breathless and I looked down to watch her chest move as she swallowed gulps of air, her breasts snow white beneath the water and her hardened peaks the color of roses. I looked back and she was blushing madly.

"I had to," I whispered, cupping her face gently with my hands. "Before the journey began."

She nodded and kissed me sweetly, my lips tingling from her sweet return of love. She smiled then dove under the water and I swam after her. I resurfaced to see she stepped onto shore and I quickly moved to cover her body with mine, picking up her clothes and handing it to her, smiling. She turned her back to me and I couldn't help but touch her hip, but in the moonlight I caught sight of all her scars, a growl erupted from my throat and it echoed. I hated seeing her with scars, marks from pain she did not deserve, agony when she was innocent. It made me want to slaughter her Mother and feed her to the Orcs. After pulling on leather pants and tying them, she turned to me. I handed her the dark tunic and she raised her arms in the air, exposing her large breasts to me and it took all the self control I had to not just keep her there in the night, with me, caressing her soft flesh, memorizing her skin, and relishing in the warmth she filled me with. She smiled once she was done and she handed me my clothes. I slipped on the dress shirt, not caring if my own pants were soaking wet, they would dry quickly. We walked side by side, and I couldn't help but keep glancing over at her pink cheeked face, her usually pained eyes bright and loving. I took her hand gently and kissed it, holding onto hers as she held onto mine. My blood was pounding and it was still night, the darkness around us, her eyes catching the moon to light the way it seemed. I held her close in front of me and we walked down the narrow path and she groaned.

"Legolas." she said. I peered over her shoulder, amused.

"Yes?"

"You're taking too long." she said, then gripped my hand and pulled me over the side and leapt, jumping from one path onto another til we reach the bottom of the long walk within a few seconds. I caught myself and righted her and smiled.

"You are very impatient." I said.

"And you are very blonde." she said, sticking her tongue out at me. I laughed. We walked through the arch and hesitated. She looked at me.

"We're probably going to have to separate once we enter the hall." she said. I understood her sadness, I knew that this night was probably going to be the last night of peace, and I needed it before this harsh mission was set upon our shoulders. I pulled her close to me and walked quickly to my bedroom, but she stiffened before we entered it. She sniffed the air once and her eyes changed color, the color of black replacing her usual beautiful blue. She opened the door, marched in and found Tauriel sleeping there. She quirked her head to the side and I heard the shing of a dagger that she had picked up from the weapons on my bed and she aimed to stab it into the Elf. I ran and stopped her, holding her hand.

"Leena. Calm down." I said to her soothingly. She sighed and released the dagger and I held it in hand.

"Bring my pack back to your room." I said, walking out. I left her and walked out to throw the dagger into some bushes and went back to her room and found some things still hadn't been packed. There was an array of weapons that she hadn't chosen from yet. Setting my armor down, I looked through them, feeling the hilt and balance of them. The door opened after a moment or two and she walked in with my pack fully filled and shut the door behind her. She walked to my side and chuckled.

"I forgot about these." she said. I looked at her.

"Do you plan on taking the bow?" I asked.

"No, I know you are very skilled with the bow, plus if I need to catch food for the Fellowship, a wolf hunting wouldn't be as suspicious as the sounding of arrows in the wild." she said. I nodded and pushed the bow away to the side. She picked up two long daggers and slid them into the belt and packed up the rest of the clothing. I took the pack and put it on the floor next to mine. She pulled me down with her on the bed and closed her eyes. I lay there, my arms wrapped around her, feeling delightly soothed and at peace. My eyes drifted shut.


	4. Chapter 5

*******DAWN******

I woke up as the the rumbling waterfalls echoed through the room and sat up, but Legolas's hand gripped my arm as his eyes flew open. I leaned back over and kissed the corner of his mouth softly and he calmed down, closing his eyes and easing up on his grip. I stood and gathered the 'boots' some maids had left out for me. I pulled them on and tied them tightly, gathered our packs. He had gotten up and changed his clothing and I was tempted to sneak up behind him and hold him. He changed his clothing to a white tunic then pulled over a green garb. He tied some green bands around his forearms and pulled on the same boots I was given, but his size. I watched and waited as he stood and took his pack. I picked up a leather coat with smooth fur on the inside and pulled it on, buckling it to fit around my waist and then added the belt that held my daggers. I adjusted my pack as he opened the door first and I walked out, he followed. We walked swiftly out to the courtyard and were met by a pony and Boromir tired as ever. Legolas' quick feet took him down the steps. I wandered over to Boromir who was tugging against the reins of a struggling and fearful pony who was pulling back.

"Boromir, excuse me." I said, gently pushing him out of the way. I didn't tug on the reins and watched as the pony stopped pulling, gazing at me, and stepped forward to rest his head against my arm. I rubbed his nose and patted his mane the handed the reins to Boromir.

"What was that?"

"You cannot curl yourself or your body with a horse, your chest must be open. It's a sign of welcoming and acceptance. You were slouching over." I said. He blinked and I gently took the reins, rolling shoulders back and stroking the pony. We waited for some minutes before everyone showed up, and Elrond and the entirety of Rivendell approached us as the sun began to rise.

"The Ring Bearer is setting out on the quest of Mount Doom," he said, his eyes serious, stern and giving no sign of affection. "And you who travel with him, no oath or bond is laid to go further than you will." He said.

"Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves, and Men, and all free folk go with you." he said. I placed my hand over my heart, as did Aragorn and Legolas, and bowed our heads in respect of Lord Elrond.

"The Fellowship awaits the Ring Bearer." Gandalf said. I turned and watched as Frodo turned away to look up at Gandalf, the old wizard looking down at him with gruff affection, and began to lead us away.

"Mordor Gandalf, is it left or right?" the young Hobbit whispered, and I smiled.

"Left." the Wizard instructed, and he turned to the left. Legolas looked back to see Aragorn not walking yet, his head bowed and hidden behind his hair. I turned to face front again and watched the Wizard and Hobbit up ahead lead us to our destination, into peril, perhaps Death. We walked across the stone bridge, the golden trees lighting our path, and the rumbling sounds of the waterfalls being my only memory perhaps of this place. We walked like that for a while, then up another narrow pathway that led up into the hills. At high noon, we were travelling across great plains of rolling hills, large rocks of ancient times strewn across them, a crumbling castle of stone sat atop a hill and we trudged past it, not giving the slightest acknowledgement that it was there. Or rather, not giving a slight fuck for the hump of rocks from old times.

Nobody gives a shit about you, rocks.

We travelled in silence, and I looked around me, gazing up at the steep hills, the rolling valley, the massive mountains. Thick patches of shrubs popping up everywhere as we walked for hours, miles, a Hobbit or two occasionally slipping when we reached steep hills with gravel. Gandalf was now head and as he passed through two spiking rocks, putting his hand upon and walking through it, I felt like I was stepping into our journey, the realization coming to life, the wind pushing back my hair. As I walked through the fangs after Legolas, seeing the world so vast and majestic, I wondered, what other dangers lay just around the bend? Perhaps an ambush from a mountain side. I had moved up ahead to scout what lay in front of us, and no sense of alarm came to me. I heard Gandalf speaking to Frodo.

"We must hold this course West of the Misty Mountains for forty days. If our luck holds, the Gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there, our road turns East to Mordor." he said. Frodo held a burdened and pained look, and I knew he was hearing the Ring in his head. I looked up ahead, sprinting then stood on a rock and pointed.

"We can camp here." I yelled. Legolas sprinted to my side, seeing for himself and nodded back at Aragorn, who helped Sam with the pony to rush it forward. Legolas and I ran up ahead to the possible campsite and scouted for anything suspicious, any possible lurking eyes of Saruman, as he had informed me of one of our enemies. He nodded and went to gaze over the horizon and I gazed up towards the mountains, turning in a circle and hopping down from a boulder. Sam had climbed up the gravelly slope just fine, but the pony began to slip. I caught the reins and clicked my tongue twice.

"Come on Bill, come on." I said. The pony bucked and galloped up the slope and settled on the smooth rock surface, snorting.

"Thank you." Sam said. I nodded. He began to unpack the pots, and pans and other foods to cook for us. I watched Merry and Pippin fall onto their packs with a groan, catching their breath and shrugging them off.

"That was a long walk. Nobody said anything about a long walk." Pippin said.

"We're going on a journey you buffoons, there's a reason it's called that." Gandalf said spitefully, but in a charming way. Pippin shrugged and jumped up, as did Merry. Frodo stumbled up to where we were setting up and sat down, facing the direction that Legolas was. Boromir set down his shield and watched in amusement as the Hobbits pulled out their swords and argued about whose was better. After that, I tuned out their conversations, the clanking of metal against metal surprising me at first but I got used to that too, and I watched on top of the stone as they moved onto softer ground, going through the steps again and again, Boromir encouraging them. Frodo sat and began to watch them, Sam popping up behind him with some food and bending down to hand it to him.

"Move your feet!" Aragorn commented, his pipe between his lips. Merry complimented Pippin then took his turn with Boromir in the practice, saying 'Faster.'

Frodo looked to Sam with a smile and Sam shook his head, wearing a face that said 'what a bunch of fools.' I hadn't noticed Gandalf had taken a seat beside me and lit his pipe, his presence was actually very soothing, and Legolas had moved closer to where I was, looking in the direction of the way we came. Gimli complained about the road, picking up about his family's mines in Moria and encouraging him to choose the 'right path.' Gandalf's presence of calm had diminished and I sensed his fear at the mention of Moria.

"No, Gimli. I would not take the road to Moria unless I had no other choice." he said, his voice grim. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, wondering what lay in Moria that made the Great Gandalf so skittish. But he was wise. And I trusted his judgement. Legolas hopped onto the rock in front of us and I watched him, his eyes and ears alert. His back stiffened, his eyes narrowed and I followed his gaze. There was a strange cloud, but my body was already moving from fear than thought. Chaos ensued, and all the air went cold as Gandalf, Legolas and I watched the strange cloud. Laughs erupted, and Sam questioned what the strange cloud was, Gimli said it was nothing, but Boromir said it was moving fast against the wind. Which it indeed was.

"CREBAIN FROM DUNLAND!" Legolas shouted.

"HIDE!" Aragorn yelled. Boromir gathered his two Hobbits and sprinted for a hiding place, as Aragorn dove under the shadowing rock with Frodo as Sam put out the fire. I dove behind a rock and stiffened, holding my breath beneath the bush that was pressed up against the rock. I lost sight of Legolas and my chest began to snap in pain with worry. Shrieks of the black birds filled the air and made my ears ring in pain. As soon as they began to fade I slowly crawled out, peering up, but looking up to see Legolas had not gone far from me and we shared a look.

'Thank God.' I thought, and he seemed to have the same thought.

"Spies of Saruman." Gandalf said, coming out from behind his rock. "The Passage South is being watched." he stated with irritation.

We all turned and faced him as he began to look up at the mountains, Frodo's heartbeat high, fear in his eyes and worry in Sams.

"We must take the pass of Caradhras." he said. We all looked up to see the giant mountain pass covered with snow, and I knew the weather up there would be much different. Sam sighed, and began to pack up his things, strapping it back onto the poor pony. I walked to Frodo and looked at him, touching his shoulder. He jumped at the contact and I kneeled down to look at him directly.

"I cannot take the Ring, but I can ease the ache in your head." I said to him. He nodded. I placed my hands on both sides of his head.

"Close your eyes Frodo." I said. He did and I did too.

'_Keshaek kyshien_.' I said quietly, and opened my eyes. I dropped my hands. Frodo still had his eyes closed and I smiled.

"You may open your eyes when you're ready." I said, and waited a few moments before he did. His eyes had life again, unique, innocent baby blues.

"Where did you go?" I asked him. He smiled.

"Home. I was laying beneath the tree I always read my books under, listening to the little river." he said. I nodded and looked him in the eye.

"Now, always remember that. You may ask me to do that again, but only when you truly need it. Hold onto your memories, those sounds and feelings. It will help." I said, and stood, but he caught my arm and I looked at him.

"What will you remember when you lose yourself?" he asked. I looked up ahead and saw Legolas waiting for Frodo as all the others had started up the road we needed to take to Caradhras, the wind flowing through his long golden hair and his blue eyes watching us intently. I looked at him and smiled.

"I will remember meeting him." I said quietly. Frodo glanced at Legolas and nodded, his cheeks pink once more with a secret to tell to his best friend. He ran ahead of me and I followed, but I was wrong. Legolas was waiting for me. He kept his hands to himself and I looked at him.

"What did you say?" He asked, raising his eyebrows in curiosity.

"You heard me." I said, smiling.

"I meant, what did you do to help the Ring Bearer?" he asked.

"I helped him remember his home." I said.

"Did you see it yourself?"

"Yes, and it was a lovely memory to have. It was tranquil, lush and very soothing. It will help him when he feels he's losing himself to his fear of the Ring." I said, moving up the hill to keep up with them. Legolas leaned and kissed my temple lightly and raced up to the front, ahead of Gandalf. I smiled at his loving action, and closed my eyes to remember that.

We trudged uphill for hours, now stomping through snow. Freezing now, I made my hands into fists and scouted around the back of the line. We were at the highest peak soon, the sun bearing down on us, but the air windy, and cold.

Another hour passed and I was now looking at Aragorns back. Suddenly Frodo slipped and began to roll down the hill, but Aragorn caught him, setting him upright. Frodo flicked the off the snow and reached into his shirt to see if the Ring was there. For a split second he was frantic, and then looked up to where he once was in the line. Boromir walked down, knelt and picked it up. He held it in front of his face, staring at it, and I could feel the Ring begin to tempt him. I watched cautiously and Aragorn gripped the hilt of his sword.

"Boromir." he said. But Boromir did not answer.

"It is it a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing...such a little thing…"

"Boromir!" Aragorn snapped fiercely. Boromir's attention jumped to him then, as if snapping out of a trance.

"Give the Ring to Frodo." he said in a cautious yet warning tone. Boromir marched slowly down and hung it on the Hobbit's reach. Frodo snatched it, fear and panic making him breathe too harshly. Boromir cracked a joking smile.

"I care not." he said, his tone cracking to prove he was lying. Aragorn glowered at Boromir, foreboding eyes locked on the Prince of Gondor. Boromir chuckled and ruffled Frodo's hair, snow slipping out of it, and readjusted his shield to climb back up the slope. Slowly, Aragorn slid his hand from the hilt of his sword. I came up to Aragorn and watched as Frodo placed the Ring back over his neck and tucked it under his shirt.

"Aragorn." I said. He turned and looked at me. I glanced up at Boromir and back at him.

"Watch him, I'll take care of Frodo." I said. Aragorn nodded and went ahead of us and I flicked some snow out of Frodo's hair. He looked up at me and smiled a little, the young look in his eyes gone and replaced with weariness.

"What's your favorite food?" I asked. He furrowed his eyebrows at me like I was joking.

"Either you can focus on the suspicious and nerve wracking incident that just happened or you can let me take your mind off of things." I said, shrugging. He nodded and closed his eyes.

"Well...I think I miss the ale of the Shire the most. But concerning food, my Uncle's fish and potatoes." he said with a glint in his eye.

"How did he cook it?" I asked. He closed his eyes as a small smile curled his lips up.

"He cooked it in butter and salt till it was just right, then squeezed a lemon on the fish, and cooked the potatoes with rosemary on them." he said.

"My god...I never should've asked you that question." I said in a regretful tone.

"Why?"

"Because now I noticed how hungry I am." I joked. He smiled and walked close to me.

"We all are." he said. I shrugged and nodded in agreement.

We travelled until nightfall, and it was then a ferocious storm came out of nowhere. I stayed at the back and made sure no one fell behind or was injured. Aragorn and Boromir eventually carried the Hobbits in their arms, slowly moving through the snow as Gimli led Bill in front of me. I felt my throat tighten as I heard a rumbling voice echo through the mountains. Legolas stood on the edge of the path, and spoke, but I could not hear him clearly.

"IT'S SARUMAN!" Gandalf yelled at the top of his lungs and panic burst forth in my body. I heard crumbling and then large rocks fell from overhead.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf, we must turn back!" Aragorn shouted.

"No!" Gandalf protested. He stepped onto the snowy edge and yelled a spell into the snowstorm, hearing his words echo through the mountains, battling against Saruman's voice. Lightning struck at the top of the mountain and I watched in utter horror as massive amounts of snow began to crumble and fall, roaring til it all came crashing down on us like bricks. I choked on the loss of air and the cold, but shifted. My fur slid through the snow easily and I jumped onto the surface. I dug at their heads one at a time before they popped of their own accord, glancing to see Legolas nudge his head and look around, pulling himself out. One at a time, hands, heads and helmets jumped out from the snow and I dragged Sam out of the cold with my teeth, looking to see the pony was fine, he was in fact calm, despite everything else going on.

"We must get off the mountain!" Boromir yelled. "Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the West road to my city!"

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragon shouted.

"If we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it! Let us go through the mines of Moria." Gimli said. Darkness flooded into Gandalf's eyes and he looked at Frodo.

"Let the Ring Bearer decide." he said. I padded over the snow and gazed at Frodo. He looked at us all.

"We cannot stay here! This will be the death of the Hobbits!" Boromir cried out, holding Merry and Pippin protectively under his cloak.

"Frodo." Gandalf said. Frodo snapped his attention back and shook with cold.

"We will go through the mines." he said. Gandalf looked defeated.

"So be it." he rumbled out.


	5. Chapter 6

**_I DO NOT OWN LOTR OR J.R.R. TOLKIEN'S WORK. _**

We journeyed back down from the mountain and as we made camp that night, I was begged by Merry and Pippin to warm them up. In my wolf form. I told them to sit down, shifted and curled my body around them, my fur bristling and growling deep in my belly, rumbling the heat up their bodies, but also I growled because it felt uncomfortable.

"If you weren't a girl, you could be our pet." Merry said in contemplation.

"Aye, and warm us up nice and toasty." Pippin commented. They both nodded, then were yanked from their spot to meet the furious gaze of Legolas.

"She is not to be your pet." he spat with anger. He sat down where they once did and I rested my head in his lap and he stroked my head with his knuckles. It felt like a massage and I loved it.

My ears picked up a clear remark made by Boromir.

"Well she's obviously someone's pet." he mumbled. I shifted back to human and drew my daggers and lunged for his throat, smirking as he fell back in fear, but Legolas caught me.

"Calm down." he whispered in a caring tone. I backed away and returned my daggers to their sheaths and sat in the snow. He sat next to me.

"It would be wise of you to respect other members here Boromir, respect could be the key to having your life saved." Gandalf advised, looking at him sternly.

"By a girl who can become a beast? She has shown to be of no use during this journey." Boromir said, slowly standing back up.

"That is not true!" Frodo cried out, marching to face Boromir. I stared in shock as his timidness fell away in a matter of seconds and he stood up to the older man.

"She has eased my burden without doing so much as even speaking about it. Her time has yet to come to carry us on her back like you have but I do not doubt she will give her life for our well being, and another ill remark against her will surely land you dead in the woods somewhere, or maybe sooner, in Moria." he said. I couldn't help but smile in appreciation.

"She also warmed us up in matter of seconds." Pippin said.

"Yeah, her furs real soft." Merry added. I laughed in disbelief and smiled.

"She also could take Legolas' place if he ever needs a rest." Gandalf said, smiling. Legolas narrowed his eyes at me but the corners of his mouth turned up.

"She can sing." Legolas said. My heart fell into my stomach and my eyes pleaded with him to not encourage it, but his smile broadened.

"Sing?" Gimli sat up, popping out from somewhere. He stumbled over and rolled to sit down and looked up at me with excitement, like a fat puppy that heard the word 'ball.'

"I guess I can." I said.

"Do you know of our songs?" Gimli asked. I shook my head. He smiled and chuckled, laughing is his own way.

"Aye, I'll teach ya." he said, clapping then clearing his throat. A rumble sounded and I listened.

He told me the words, and hummed the tune. After a minute of consideration I nodded.

"Will you join with me Gimli?" I asked. He nodded and was very eager. Sam lit a fire and circled stones round it and began to cook. I smiled, remembering the words and looked down at the snow.

" Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away ere break of day

To seek the pale enchanted gold."

It was then Gimli joined in after.

"The dwarves of yore made mightly spells,

While hammers fell like ringing bells

In places deep, where dark things sleep,

In hollow halls beneath the fells.

For ancient king and elvish lord

There many a gleaming golden hoard

They shaped and wrought, and light they caught

To hide in gems on hilt of sword.."

I heard Aragorn join, his voice rough yet smooth.

"On silver necklaces they strung

The flowering stars, on crowns they hung

The dragon-fire, in twisted wire

They meshed the light of moon and sun."

Gandalf chuckled, as did Boromir, and the Hobbits listened with fascination.

The rest of them began to sing.

"Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away, ere break of day,

To claim our long-forgotten gold.

Goblets they carved there for themselves

And harps of gold; where no man delves

There lay the long, and many a song

Was sung unheard by men or elves.

The pines were roaring on the height,

(The pines were roaring on the height)

The winds were moaning in the night,

The fire was red, it flaming spread;

(The fire was red, it flaming spread)

The trees like torches blazed with light.

The bells were ringing in the dale

(The bells were ringing in the dale)

And men looked up with faces pale;

The dragon's ire more fierce than fire

(The dragon's ire more fierce than fire)

Laid low their towers and houses frail.

The mountain smoked beneath the moon;

(The mountain smoked beneath the moon)

The dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom.

They fled their hall to dying fall

(They fled their hall to dying fall)

Beneath his feet, beneath the moon.

Far over the misty mountains grim

To dungeons deep and caverns dim

We must away, ere break of day,

To win our harps and gold from him!

The pines were roaring on the height,

(The pines were roaring on the height)

The winds were moaning in the night,

The fire was red, it flaming spread;

(The fire was red, it flaming spread)" they all finished

"The trees like torches blazed with light." I sang, finishing.

They all clapped and Gimli especially, pounding his heavily gloved hands together.

"That was mighty fine of ye lass. Another!" he cried out.

"Oh, oh, I know one." Pippin said. I shook my head.

"The song will be too fast for me to keep up with." I said. He sighed and frowned. But then Sam stood up and handed me a paper. I laughed and sighed.

"Fine Sam." I said, he smiled and nodded.

I couldn't help but look at Sam, Frodo, Merry and Pippin.

I sighed and started, still laughing a bit at the lyrics.

" There's an inn of old renown

Where they brew a beer so brown,"

I could see the Hobbits perking up and start looking at each other, nudging and mumbling along.

"Moon came rolling down the hill

One Hevnsday night to drink his fill.

[FRODO/MERRY]

On a three-stringed fiddle there

Played the Ostler's cat so fair

The hornèd Cow that night was seen

To dance a jig upon the green.

Called by the fiddle to the

Middle of the muddle where the

Cow with a caper sent the

Small dog squealing.

Moon in a fuddle went to

Huddle by the griddle but he

Slipped in a puddle and the

World went reeling.

Downsides went up- hey!,"

They all leapt up and grabbed me, pulling me to stand as I kept singing with them,

"Outsides went wide.

As the fiddle

Played a twiddle

And the Moon slept till Sterrenday.

Upsides went west- hey!

Broadsides went boom.

With a twiddle on the fiddle

In the middle by the griddle

And the Moon slept till Sterrenday.

[FRODO]

Dish from off the dresser pranced,

Found a spoon and gaily danced.

[PIPPIN]

Horses neighed and champed their bits

For the bloodshot Moon had lost his wits.

[MERRY]

Well, cow jumped over, Dog barked wild,

Moon lay prone and sweetly smiled.

[SAM]

Ostler cried, "Play faster, Cat!

[ALL]

Because we all want to dance like that."

[FRODO/PIPPIN]

Gambol and totter till you're

Hotter than a hatter and you

Spin all akimbo

Like a windmill flailing.

Whirl with a clatter till you

Scatter every cotter and the

Strings start a-pinging as the

World goes sailing.,"

We began to just march around the fire singing, clapping to the beat, and I heard Gandalf start singing it too.

"[ALL HOBBITS]

Downsides go up- hey!

Outsides go wide.

You can clatter

With your platter

But the Moon slept till Sterrenday.

Upsides go west- hey!

Broadsides go boom.

With a batter and a clatter

You can shatter every platter

But the Moon slept till Sterrenday.

Fi-fo-fiddle-diddle

Fi-fo-fiddle-diddle

Hey-yey-yey-yey-oh-ho

Hey-yey-yey-yey-oh-ho

Hey-hey-din-gen-do

Hey-hey-din-geli-do

Hoo-rye-and-hott-a-cott-a ho

Hoo-rye-and-hott-a-cott-a ho ho

Hott-a-cott-a-hotta-ko

Hott-a-cott-a-ko-cott-a-ko-ho

Fi-fo-fiddle-diddle-hi-ho

Fi-fo-fiddle-diddle-hi-ho

Ho fiddlee-ding-galli-do

Ho fiddlee-ding-galli-do

Hoo-rye-hoo-rye oops-oops- ay!

Hoo-rye-hoo-rye oops-oops- ay!

Hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-mi-fo-fo

Hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-mi-fo-fo

Hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-mi-fo-fo!

Downsides go up- hey!

Outsides go wide.

With a twiddle on the fiddle

In the middle by the griddle

And the Moon slept till Sterrenday.

Upsides go west- hey!

Broadsides go boom.

With a batter and a clatter

You can shatter every platter

But the Moon slept till Sterrenday!" they exclaimed throwing their hands up and laughing and I returned to my spot and laughed, shaking my head in disbelief at the speed of that song and the lyrics.

For the rest of that night the Hobbits and Gandalf recalled songs from the Shire and sang them and I merely clapped to the beat. It was nearing when everyone else was tired, I noticed, that Legolas nudged me again.

"Sing the song you sang when I found you in the river." he whispered.

Obviously he was heard because as all the Hobbits curled in, they shouted "Yes!" as did Gimli. Boromir was slowly falling asleep, and Gandalf was smoking his pipe, Aragorn under his cloak watching the rest of us next to Gimli. Aragorn nodded and I felt encouraged enough.

"

'Tis the last rose of summer left blooming alone

All her lovely companions are faded and gone

No flower of her kindred, no rosebud is nigh

To reflect back her blushes and give sigh for sigh

I'll not leave thee, thou lone one, to pine on the stem

Since the lovely are sleeping, go sleep thou with them

Thus kindly I scatter thy leaves o'er the bed

Where thy mates of the garden lie scentless and dead

So soon may I follow when friendships decay

And from love's shining circle the gems drop away

When true hearts lie withered and fond ones are flown

Oh who would inhabit this bleak world alone?

This bleak world alone."

I finished and looked around, the Hobbits asleep, same for Boromir, Gimli, Aragorn and Gandalf.

Legolas touched my side and I looked at him. His hand slowly touched my cheek tenderly and I looked at him lovingly. We both laid back into the snow, except I opened my jacket and wrapped my arms around his waist as he did mine, warming each other up as we fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 7

_**i do not own J.R.R. Tolkien's characters or works.**_

We woke up at midday, the snow covering everyone's bodies except Legolas and I. Somehow my body heat had made the snow melt away on us. I sat up and looked around, taking note that I was the first awake. I slipped off my jacket and covered Legolas' body with it and he moaned in discomfort, clutching the jacket and smiling in his sleep.

I picked up his bow and arrows and slid down the slope, looking up into the sky. No Crebain were there, the sky was clear with no clouds. Movement caught my eye and I approached, crouching, pulling the arrow back silently. I saw the two rabbits and crouched more, moving down wind then loosed my arrows into them, skewering them onto the long wood. I walked over and picked the arrow up and climbed back to our camp. They all continued to sleep as I started a fire and pulled out my dagger. I skinned the rabbits one at a time, pulling their fur off their bodies and setting them aside, placing the rabbits to slowly cook over the fire. I crawled over Sam and took a pinch of salt from the box he used to cook, and rubbed the salt onto each of the rabbits skin. I twirled them over the fire then took the fur and rubbed away the leftover flesh and set my dagger in the coals, letting it heat up. I looked at the pattern of their furs and cut away the head and smoothly, evenly, cut off the feet. I set the furs near the fire, on one of the stones, then removed my dagger from the fire and pushed it down on the the underside where the flesh still was, wet and smelly. It sizzled from my dagger and immediately dried up and I did the same to the other fur. I pushed my dagger deep into the snow to cool down once I was finished. I picked up the rabbits head and looked at Aragorn who was now moving, waking up. He looked at me and I put a finger to my lips, and then placed the rabbits head in between Pippin and Merry's laying bodies. He made a motion with his fingers, and I tossed him the other head as he placed it on Gimli's snoring nose. I smiled and fingered through the feet of the rabbits, bored and not knowing what to do with them. Aragorn slowly rose and walked over, kneeling by the fire and picking a foot up.

"Did you hunt these?" he asked low, holding up the foot and pointing at the rodents bodies. I nodded.

"With that?" he asked. I slid the bow from my body and showed him. He nodded and then took another foot and crept up to Gandalf, placing the two paws in his beard. I covered my mouth trying not to laugh and watched as he dove for another pair and settled them right below the firsts, blood slowly dripping down the Wizard's beard. It looked like his beard had caught a rabbit and ate the body but not the feet. He nodded and walked back to the fire, sitting. I arched my arm over Sam and pulled out the plates he had. I placed them down and stood, flipping my knife skillfully and then stabbing the rabbit, opening it and letting half its body drip down and get caught in the flames. They weren't fully cooked yet and I slowly placed the huge hunk of meat still connected by fat back in its place and slid my knife through it and into the rabbit, keeping it in place. Aragorn dipped his pipe to the fire and I watched as he set the small leaves he had on fire and he quickly took a deep breath in, sucking on the pipe and blowing out smoke calmly after a moment of holding it in. I snapped my fingers and made a motion. He looked at me surprised.

"Ladies do not smoke."

"Well, I am a female but not a lady." I said, and made the motion of 'Give me it' with my fingers once more. He handed over the pipe and I held the bottom and bit onto the wood and sucked, breathing in the smoke and I held it there in my mouth, rolling my tongue then opened my mouth and made an 'O' shape. I handed it back to him, and for a while that's what we did, taking turns with the pipe and making signs with the smoke. I took the rabbits off the wooden stick, cleaning the arrow I had used and returning it to the Quiver, and placed the bow and arrows back next to Legolas where he left them. I cut into the rabbit, and looked at Aragorn.

"You wanna wake them up?" I asked, placing the meat on all the plates. He shrugged and stood up.

"IT'S SARUMAN!" he roared, arching back and yelling it loudly, making it echo. They stirred but did not wake up. I shifted into my wolf and took a deep breath then howled, exhaling and letting my howl rise into the air, stopping and turning my ears to hear it echo through the wind and the mountain. They all woke up at once. I shifted in time to watch Merry and Pippin turning their heads to look down and screamed, Pippin leaping into Merry's arms at they ran around, pointing at the head. I laughed and looked at Aragorn who chuckled.

"Now, what is with all this infernal ruckus?" Gandalf said, standing up half awake and walking toward Merry and Pippin. They stilled and their eyes widened at the sight of his beard and screamed loudly. A yell sounded and Gimli fell backwards away from the head, swiping his nose.

Aragorn and I laughed loudly, holding our sides, and I fell back into the snow. An arm wrapped around me and with intense force pulled me up against them.

"Mmm mine." Legolas growled. I felt shivers run through my body and my flesh heat up. The commotion seemed to die out as I felt his hands travel across my body to slip under my tunic and stroke my stomach. I gasped at how cold his fingers were and he pulled me closer.

"Legolas, are you awake?" I asked.

"Yes." he said. He sat up and his legs were on either side of me. He held me there and I was looking at the others as they ran around screaming, yelling, tripping over each other as the rabbit limbs fell into the snow. He chuckled and looked at me in silence then stood. I watched as the antics died down, they all settled around the fire and passed the plates of food to each other. Legolas stood upon a rock in the snow and looked out over the mountains and into the sky. Gandalf and Sam were murmuring and holding the pieces of rabbit.

"What's wrong?" I asked, sitting up and gazing over at them.

"Nothing, it's just...the rabbit seems a bit sweet." Gandalf said, raising his eyebrows. I widened my eyes.

"I cooked sugary rabbit?" I shrieked and ran over, grabbing and biting into a leg to find it wasn't sugary at all, it was perfectly fine and salty. I heard bursts of laughter and narrowed my eyes, throwing the leg down into the snow and growled.

"It was a trap to get me to confess, right?" I growled out. Aragorn nodded and finished his and threw the bone into the fire. I smacked the back of his head and growled menacingly when he turned to stare at me in shock. He turned back to the others as I walked across the snow and down the hill, the wet snow sliding up to my knees. I stopped when I heard a screech to my left and saw a black bird hopping and picking at a dead rabbit. Crebain. I shifted and lunged, ripping the Crebain bird apart and snarling as the blood fell down my fangs onto the snow. It's beady eyes blinked one more time before the life faded from it's body. I took the bird and climbed back up my path and growled at Legolas as I passed him. He stiffened as he saw the bird. He began to move forward but I snapped my jaws warning and gave him a look to keep scouting. I ran back to the camp and dropped the bird abruptly as all the others were laughing and shook out the snow from my coat.

"Where'd you find this?" Gandalf asked. I tilted my head then felt my body tense and opened my jaws.

"_Down the path, near the cliff." _I growled out, hearing my own voice come out but growls echoing amongst it. He nodded gruffly and stood.

"We best be on our way." he said, then pulled his robe to cover his legs and began walking down. I looked over at the others and a shaking Sam made a motion to the corner of his mouth while he gazed at me. I stuffed my muzzle into the snow and shook it inside the small hole, then gathered snow in my mouth and chewed, and let the snow wash away the blood from my mouth and muzzle. I shifted back and spat the bloodied snow out.

"Sam, wrap the rabbit in some dried leaves and cloth. Pack it up." I said then followed after Gandalf. I glanced back to see Frodo stumbling in the snow, trying to catch up with Gandalf and I. Shifting, I ran behind him, dove between his legs and ran forward as he screamed.

"Mr. Frodo!" I heard Sam scream. I turned and looked at Sam as he sheathed his dagger and nodded at me. I nodded back.

"_Hold on." _I spoke. His tiny hands dug into my scruff and I bounded after Gandalf and walked alongside him.

"My dear Frodo, are you riding a Wolf?" Gandalf asked jokingly.

"She just picked me up." he said, shrugging.

"Well, you'll have many tales to tell if you return to the Shire." Gandalf said gruffly then walked faster.

"He's never said _if _before." Frodo mumbled sadly.

"_I believe he wants you to accept the possibility of not returning to your home, but that does not mean you should give up."_ I said. He patted my neck.

"_Did you truly mean to kill Boromir if he ever insulted me again?"_

"It'd be a difficult attempt, but I believe so."

"_Who knew such a tiny creature would as so bold to threaten a Lord of Gondor." _I chuckled in my deep wolf's voice. He laughed and for many hours he rode on my back til I couldn't take the weight of him. He was tiny, but he was not light. We traveled down dark rock hills and I yelped as I felt a shove and my side hit a sharply edged rock. I looked back and saw a smirking Boromir. I knew I shouldn't start a fight with him and I didn't, I just knew my ribs would hurt for a while. I rolled my shoulders back and felt my paws slip so I shifted back and climbed down the rockface. The rocks fell over my shoulders and I tensed as I searched for another foothold in the rock and sighed.

"Fucking son of a bitch." I breathed. I looked down beneath me to see the bottom and shrugged. It wasn't that far down, but it'd hurt like hell once I landed. I pushed myself back.

"LOOK OUT!" I yelled. I knew all eyes were on me. I pulled my legs up to my chest then pushed off, flipping back into the air and arching my back and pointing my hands out in front of me as I watched the ground come into vision. Feeling it finally impacting on my hands, I rolled myself onto my feet and stood. Shaking my hands out as the pain raced up my hands I looked up at how far I'd fallen and stared. I'd fallen maybe 150 feet down, or more. I watched as everyone else slowly climbed. I lifted my tunic and pushed against my bruised and scraped flesh and gently poked only to wince and stomp my foot as the pain shot up my entire body and left a freezing, cutting feeling. Like someone was cutting my body up with long ice swords. I dropped my tunic and pulled my jacket together and buckled it once more, but loosely so nothing would touch my wound much. I looked back up to see Legolas reached about ten feet above the ground then dropped and he crossed to me and took my face in his hands.

"Are you hurt?" he asked. I shook my head and smiled, but then he swept me into a hug and I screamed and bit his shoulder in pain as tears sprung to my eyes. He pulled back and laid me down as his hands undid my jacket and pulled it apart. He gently pushed his fingers around then, as he noticed the small patch of blood on my tunic at my side where my ribs were, he pulled the tunic up and grazed his fingers over the wound. He looked back up at the Fellowship who were still climbing then looked back at me

"How did you get this?" He asked quietly. I shrugged.

"The jump?" I said, trying to sound convincing but my voice gave me away.

"HOW did you get this, Leena?" he asked again. I sighed and sat up slowly and pulled my jacket on.

"Boromir." I said. His eyes went into slits and he stood, his hand moving to his bow. I pulled him back down and shook my head.

"No, no. This journey doesn't need more tension."I said.

"He cannot get away with this." he growled out. I glanced back up and saw the Fellowship hadn't climbed down very far still. I looked at him and grabbed his hand. Pulling him behind a large rock so when they landed or were they still climbing, they wouldn't see us.

"This journey is taxing on us enough Legolas, I do not need to show some stupid wound to all of them to have them hate him more." I said angrily. He shook his head and looked at me in his furious calm.

"He should be helping you, not hurting you. This is something I will discuss with Gandalf at our encampment tonight, but you should be aware I do not take kindly to others hurting you." he growled. He moved to leave but I grabbed him and pulled him in with a kiss. His lips didn't move and his nostrils flared.

"You'll have to try harder than that." he ground out. Pushing me against the rock and lifting me up I felt shocks of pleasure. His lips pushed my own apart and his tongue slid in and battled with mine. I gripped his hair and clung to him as he wrapped my legs around his waist and moaned into my mouth, the feeling making me melt. He pulled away and a string of saliva hung from our lips. He wiped my mouth with his thumb gently as I did the same with my index finger. His eyes had softened a little from the lust that had vented from him. I looked into his eyes and saw the anger still there, but love was soon replacing it.

"Legolas," I whispered. "Please."

"Leena, I just want to protect you." he said, his fingers sliding into my hair.

"As do I, but getting into a fight with Boromir is unwise." I said softly. He sighed and rested his forehead against my neck and breathed in. I stroked the back of his head down to his back. I went to slowly slide my legs down from his waist, even though I wanted to stay like that. He held my hip and ran his hand down to my thigh and jerked it back into place.

"Not yet. Not yet." he whispered. He shut his eyes tightly. Asking him not to defend was hurting him, it was going against his morals, his instincts. His defenses.

"You can threaten him." I said. His head shot up and a smile returned.

"You will allow me to do this?" he asked, cupping my face gently. I smiled and nodded. His lips captured mine in a fierce kiss and I felt myself go limp. When he pulled away, I was breathless and he seemed to be glowing.

"Legolas?" Aragorn yelled out. I moved my hips forward to try and get out of Legolas's hold, but he didn't drop me yet. He dug his fingers into my thigh and those pleasurable shivers caught in my throat.

"I said not yet." he said. I raised an eyebrow and he slowly leaned in, his beautiful innocence overwhelming. He kissed me gently, softly, slowly and my eyes flew open. He was lowering me and wrapping his arm around my waist. He pulled away and kissed my head and I tucked in the loose strands of hair. He smiled and he took my hair.

"Sit." he said. I rolled my eyes and sat down, folding my legs. He undid the plated braid that I had kept in since Rivendell and kissed my cheek.

"Your hairs beautiful in its natural state." he said, then walked out. I slumped against the rock and smiled.

I looked up to see we had a long road of darkness and not much light to achieve it.

"Legolas." I heard Aragorn greet. "Where's Leena?"

Legolas spoke in his Elvish tongue and I stiffened as he said 'Boromir'.

Aragorn spoke in the language as well, then footsteps approached quickly and Aragorn kneeled by me.

"You have a wound?" he asked. I sighed.

"I told him I didn't want it to be public."

"On the contrary, you said you didn't want it to be creating a fight amongst us." he said. He pushed my jacket off and lifted my tunic and I heard an intake of breath. I looked at him and he shook his head.

"What did he do?"

"I was in my Wolf. He...shoved I guess?" I shrugged.

"Into what?"

"A rock, a big one."

"Spiked edges, sharp?" he asked. I nodded. He sighed and pressed his fingers on either side of the wound and squeezed. I screamed in response and whimpered, grabbing onto his arm and shaking.

"This wound has poison running through it. That rock has a curse on it. A myth behind it but that is not the concern."

"How do you know about all this about some stupid fucking rock?" I spat at him.

"I had to go through this wound myself once…" he said.

"What do you need to do?" I asked.

"Cut it open and push all the poison out." he said.

"And who helped you through this?"

"Legolas." he said. I stared at him.

"You two must be as close as brothers."

"A little." he smiled.

He swiftly took out his knife then looked at me and held out his other hand.

"Grip it tight." he said. I slid my hand slid through his and dug my nails into his flesh. With a quick cut he had stabbed the dagger in my side and I bit my cheeks from the inside and kicked my foot out. He sawed my side and my eyes widened with tears but I took a deep breath through my nose and shut my eyes tight as I felt my ribs breaking and my skin being cut away.

"Leena." he said, squeezing my hand. "Be still, as best as you can." he said. I nodded and looked away to gaze at the large towering mountain. I felt the cold pierce of metal touch my rib and my hands shook frantically, my fangs lengthening. I sank them into the inner skin of my lips and breathed through my nose. The pain was slowly leaving, but my muscles were so tense, coiling and rubbing together.

"Calm, calm." he murmurred. I felt the dagger slowly remove itself and I breathed out.

"LEGOLAS!" he roared. I looked at him.

"No, he can't see me like this." I said, sitting up and felt blood rush up my throat to my mouth and slide down my lips and over my skin. As I saw him walk up, I covered my mouth as Aragorn pushed me back and my back arched in pain as the blood slid from between my teeth.

"What happened?" Legolas asked in the deadly calm tone.

"Her wound has poison in it, too much, and she sat up before I could heal her up, she's going to bleed to death if you don't hurry. Kingsfold, now." he yelled. Legolas sprinted and return within a few moments with a plant. Aragorn tore the leaves off and slowly slid them in my wound. I slammed my fist down against the stone ground as I shook with fury and my skin began to heal itself.

"Get It out, get it out. GET IT OUT!" I screamed, pulling my body away from the dagger. Aragorn pulled it out and watched as my body began convulsing, shaking and jerking upwards. I shook my head, trying to make the pain go away. My nails lengthened, and I whimpered as my head pounded. I slammed against the walls, slamming my body up against the stone. I turned and ran back, letting the hard surface break my bones, so long as I stopped this craving. My throat began to soften upon the burning sensation and as I hit the wall one last time, I swallowed air and fell down to my knees, my palms pressed against the cold stone.

"Leena?" Legolas voice echoed and I turned to slowly face him, catching my reflection with his eyes and curling my body. My eyes were black with silver irises. I sighed and looked away, closing my eyes and nodding.

"Come on." I muttered to myself. I stood and turned, walking towards him, my eyes downward cast so no one saw into them. I walked towards the group in the distance, climbing carefully past the rocks as the dark dog clung to my clothing, and a great structure protruding from the mountain, a great wall with holes in it. I walked closer to see the lake rippling and a great insignia glowing in the moonlight upon a large rock face. I watched as Gandalf was pressed hard against it, trying to pry it open with his bare hands, and smirked. felt a hand upon my shoulder.

"Leena...what happened?"

"I healed myself." I said solemnly.

"How?"

"I don't know, but do not ask me to look at you, or anyone for that matter. I don't want you to see my eyes." I whispered to him then walked quickly towards the pony. I stroked it's mane and looked at it. Its gaze at me didn't waver like I knew the others would, but I saw my eyes were still black in Bill's and i stiffened as a foul smell wafted through the air. I turned and looked over the lake, the rippling water coming swifter to the rocky shore where Merry and Pippin threw rocks. I sighed and watched them with unease. Gandalf and Gimli were arguing over the Door to Moria, as Legolas stood at the edge of the lake with a sad look. I felt my chest tighten, but he couldn't see me like this, with these eyes.

Aragorn and Sam walked past me and I walked to stand beneath a tree, gazing down upon the ground.

"The mines are no place for a pony, even for one so brave as bill." Aragorn said kindly, remove Bill's tack, saddle bags and many other things.

"Bye bye Bill." Sam said with regret, a sadness filling his voice.

"Go on." Aragorn nudged the pony and Bill slowly walked back up the winding road we came. The climb we took was of course a shortcut.

"Don't worry Sam, he knows the way home." Aragorn said, and patted Sam's shoulder. A splash jolted me from my thoughts and I growled in contempt at the the two hobbits throwing the rocks. No wonder Gandalf was irritated so easily. Pippin reached his arm back to throw and Aragorn caught it and looked at him with warning.

"Do not disturb the water." he said. He gazed at the water for some time, and Boromir came to his side.

"It's a riddle." Frodo said with a sense of admiration. "Speak friend...and enter. What's the Elvish word for friend?" he made a motion to the Wizard and the elderly man leaned in.

"Mellon." Gandalf said, and rumbling sounded, the doors opening quickly with welcome. I gazed back over at the water and noticed the group of the others had gathered and were standing close, cautious of the lake. They all turned when they heard the doors then began going towards it as Gandalf chuckled in amusement. Legolas entered the mine after Gandalf and I walked forward as well, following after Aragorn. It was dark, dusty, and the smells made me want to hurl. A sense of dread sunk into my body and it became hard not to walk faster, my hands sliding my daggers from their sheaths. I saw them...though Gandalf could not because his crystal was not lit, my eyes saw the dead bodies, the rotting corpses of dwarves, their great helmets falling off their skulls and I couldn't move. They all walked deeper into the darkness and Gimli was speaking with pride in the distance, but everywhere I looked, I saw the dead bodies on the edges of our pathway. Their eyes gone, their bones dusty, their weapons strewn across the great stone hall.

"This is no mine." Boromir murmurred. "It's a tomb."

Anguish clenched my heart as Gimli's sorrowful cries of denial filled the hall and the dead dwarves hands were reaching up, their fingers arched. Legolas pulled an arrow from a body.

"Goblins." he stated, throwing the arrow aside and pulling arrow from his quiver and pulling it back, as the two men unsheathed their swords and the hobbits their daggers.

"We make for the gap of Rohan, we should never have come here!" Boromir spoke.

"Now, get out of here, get out!" he yelled. A distant shriek came, a bellow, and I turned only to see it happen to fast before my eyes. Frodo was jerked back and dragged across the ground by a long tentacle. The hobbits hopped after him as Sam yelled, 'Stryder!' and aragorn turned. Sam cut the tentacle in half and it sunk back into the lake, but then ten more burst forth, slapping the hobbits away and picking Frodo up. Frodo's scream sunk into my head and I screamed in return, running towards him mindlessly. I watched on the shore as he was raised above a large mouth, tentacles waving in the air of the lake and warding us off. I ran into the water and cut the tentacles as ARagorn and I fought them off, Boromir as well, and Legolas' arrows whipping past my ear to the foul creature. I saw the creature emerge from the lake and moved deeper, throwing my daggers aside onto shore, I dove beneath the water and fought the fear that was crushing me. I dove into the deep darkness, dodging the tentacles that meant to kill me, and swam to reach the creature. I climbed onto it's head and emerged, screaming. A burning bright sensation enveloped me and I screamed, digging my nails into the creature, till everything flashed. I saw Frodo amidst the white light, his face shocked, and I surrounded him with my arms. Something cut my face and arms, and I didn't know what. I had to shut my eyes.

"Into the mines!" a voice cried. My eyes were blind, because I could not show them to the others, and I picked up my daggers from the shore, stumbling into the darkness. Yells echoed the hall, dustiness and foul smells. I coughed, and felt myself fall to my hands and knees, dry heaving. I opened my eyes, and saw Legolas facing the entrance, which was now blocked because the remains of the monster had reached into the darkness and shattered the rocks. Legolas had his hand on Aragorn's shoulder, and the Hobbits were gathered together, my eyes being the only ones who saw in the dark. I tried to be silent, but I couldn't help it. I coughed into my shoulder and looked down as I coughed up blood. I wiped it away and closed my eyes. Gandalf's crystal lit and he walked past me, Legolas following.

"We now have but one choice. We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard. There are older, and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world." Gandalf spoke. Dust slipped into my throat and I began to choke as I knew that I could not cough, for it would echo down through the mines. I spat onto the floor, feeling a little at ease. I hung back from the group, stroking my aching throat and feeling my bones ache after what I did to that watery creature.

"Where Leena?" Frodo's voice echoed quietly. I opened my eyes and looked at him, and he sucked in a breathy gasp of fear.

"Frodo what is-" Gandalf said, turning and looking at me. Frodo was pointing, and I knew, that all they could see were two glowing silver orbs of eyes in the darkness. I stood up straight and walked forward.

"Your eyes are like the moon." Aragorn spoke. I looked up at him.

"When did this happen?" he asked.

"We must keep up the pace, son of Arathorn." Gandalf said. I nodded and nudged Aragorn forward.

"Shortly after my body healed the poisoned wound. After I began to…" I looked at Legolas and looked away, ashamed. "I craved for..._his_ blood." I whispered to Aragorn. He looked at me in concern.

"Is that why you began to inflict more pain upon yourself?" he asked. I nodded.

"I must ask you...how did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"You took out half of that foul monster's body, it's limbs fell into the lake and it's blood was everywhere. How did you conjure that spell?" he asked. I widened my eyes and shook my head.

"I didn't...I felt like I was being devoured from the inside out, I didn't see what I had done. First I was burning everywhere, when I saw Frodo I held onto him, and then I was ashore." I said.

"Quiet now!It is a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope our presence may go unnoticed." he said. We drifted one by one from a long dark tunnel to emerge upon a bridge. Everywhere it smelled of corpses, dust, and the air almost suffocating me. It was a long bridge ahead of us, more so a long road carved out that travelled through Moria. If we took the road and no other, we would surely be easily ambushed as the path was not hidden, nor guarded, and was in plain sight from the top of the cavern walls. The place was dark, grim, and would catch you unawares quite easily. We would never be able to tell if someone might be watching us. After perhaps two hours, we finally came to the end of the path, and we paused at the entrance of a door. Engraved markings of dwarves were in the frame. Gandalf walked past it, stepping down some five steps and walked another entrance, this one not as welcoming, being a sliver in an opening to a winding stairway of more stone. We walked, and walked, my eyes still glowed, lighting upon many of the other's face and I felt shame for being a monster myself.

"Leena, may you please scout ahead of us?" Gandalf asked, pressing his body back against the rocks so that I may pass. I did, and I did not look at Legolas, and he didn't look at me. I felt pain arch into my chest but ignored it and carefully raced to the top and sunk to my all fours, looking out. It was a small path that was carved out of the rock face, buckets and ladders abandoned. I turned my head back to Gandalf and nodded.

"_There is no shift in smell, everything is still_." I spoke to him inside of his mind. He nodded then walked past me and I waited to be the last of the line. Boromir looked at me with disgust and slammed my back against the rock once more, where my wound was and I bit my lips and jaw shut, breathing harshly through my nose. I curled my hands into fists and ignored it. As Gandalf led the way, his hand stroke the walls as silver patterns glowed from them,

"The wealth of Moria was not in gold, or jewels, but mithril." Gandalf said, turning to us, then pointing his staff down over the edge of the path as the crystal glowed brighter. The opposing walls from our path glowed in reaction to the crystal, as did the one beneath us, casting the cave to brightly spark to life, until Gandalf pulled his staff back.

"Bilbo had a shirt of mithril rings, that Thorin gave him."

"Oh, such a kingly gift!" Gimli commented in awe.

"Yes! I never told him, but its worth was greater than the value of the Shire." Gandalf laughed as he spoke. I stiffened and looked to Frodo, whose eyes held insult, and anger, but then slowly resigned, knowing his concern for such a thing to be said didn't matter.


	7. Chapter 8

I DO NOT OWN LORD OF THE RINGS.

Soon we reached a steep stairway, and the tilt of the the steps were so steep, we climbed them as if we were climbing ladders. Pippin slipped, but Merry caught him and pushed against his butt, telling him to keep going. When we reached it, we saw three doorways, a giant rock at the top of the small steps to the three doors.

'Why are there so many damned stairways?' I thought. When we reached the top of stair, I heard Gandalf speak, lowly, as if to himself: 'I've no memory of this place.'

His tone held suspicion, fear, concern, and that merely made all of my senses go into high alert. We quietly spoke of camping there, and as we settled, I saw Sam take out the wrapped rabbit's meat. I looked and saw Boromir sit down in grievance, as Aragorn joined him and smoked his pipe, and Legolas stood behind them both, looking out over the caves. I looked at Aragorn who shook his head at me, and in my defeat I silently walked down the steps, sitting at enough distance no one heard me, saw me, but that I heard them and could run back to protect. I hung my head and pushed my hair back, tears falling.

"Why am I a monster?" I whispered to myself, a tear plopping down onto the stone surface of the step. I tensed as eyes were on my back, and I smoothly pushed my hair back and pulled up the leather hood I had. I glanced back to see it was Boromir glaring at me, as was Legolas. I looked back at the caves, unsure of what to do, then stood up and quietly raced back up the steps, shoved Boromir down and hissed at him with my fangs, and glared at Legolas.

"You haven't the right to judge me, Prince of Mirkwood." I spat in his direction. I looked at Aragorn who bowed his head at me and I smiled kindly. I walked up the small steps to Gandalf and sat beside him. He smoked his pipe, staring at the three doors. I sniffed the air quietly then turned and looked at Frodo, who was turning slowly to look at something. I moved swiftly to his side and looked. How did I not hear him? I glanced and noticed Legolas had not heard him either, but at least I took notice. A strange creature, with foul skin, rotting hair, it's very odor putrid, rank, damp and toxic. I covered my nose and stepped back. Frodo turned and walked with me, walking to Gandalf.

"There's something down there." Frodo whispered.

"It's Gollum." Gandalf answered, matter of factly. A look of recognition crossed frodo's face.

"Gollum." he spoke.

"He's been following us for three days." Gandalf said, nodding.

"He escaped the dungeons of Barad dur." Frodo uttered, realization crossing his face. I walked past and settled on the rock with Gandalf.

"Escaped? Or set loose?" Gandalf said. "And now the Ring has drawn him near. He will never be rid of his need for it. He hates and loves the Ring. As he hates and loves himself. Smeagol's life is a sad story." Gandalf turned and nodded, in answer to Frodo's confused and surprised eyes. "Yes, Smeagol he was once called. Before the Ring found him. Before it drove him mad."

"It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance." Frodo said with fierceness, looking back in Gollum's direction.

"Pity?" Gandalf said, looking over at Frodo. "It is that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death, but some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them Frodo, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death and judgement." Gandalf said, shaking his head. "Even the very wise cannot see all ends. MY heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many." Gandalf said pointedly and Frodo sat at his side, grief and weary taking over his eyes once more.

'I wish the Ring had never come to me...I wish none of this had happened." Frodo spoke sadly.

"So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to do is decide what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world besides that of good or evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, in which case you also were meant to have it, And that is an encouraging thought." Gandalf said, smiling. I nodded, remembering his words, closing my eyes and memorizing them, but the ache in my chest somehow made it hard to see such light in these days of darkness.

"Oh! It's that way." Gandalf said, looking at a doorway.

"He's remembered!" Merry spoke happily, hopping up.

"No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down here." he said as he stepped to the edge, pointing his crystal down the dark stairwell, and placing his hat atop his head."If in dire, Meriadoc, always follow your nose." He said. I smiled and waited as the others walked down into the darkness, but Frodo gazed at me.

"You need not loathe yourself over your eyes, Leena." he said with a kind smile. "Aragorn was right, they are much like the moon." he said, hopping down from the rock and going to Boromir who was waiting for him. I smiled a little then stood, walking to the doorway and following after. A hand grabbed my wrist, and I looked back to see Boromir sneering.

"Your eyes are that of monster, not that of a moon. The moon is pure, bright, and does not crave blood." he spat. My heart fell into my stomach.

"Yet I am still the most loyal and clear minded compared to you. You seem to forget I did not touch Legolas, I almost broke my spine in order to keep this monstrosity under control for him." I spat back and arched my back up and glared him in the eye.

"Were I a man I'd have shown more control, more courage, and more power than you have shown in your miserable, worthless life, Boromir." I growled. Another hand came for my arm and pushed me back and I saw it to be Legolas. I dropped my eyes in shame.

"Move along Boromir." Legolas said.

"Are you certain you want to hang back with this foul beast?" Boromir spat. Legolas nodded, and Boromir left. My chest tightened and tears threatened to spill as the grip on my forearm tightened and Legolas glared at me.

"Is it true, you wished to drink from my veins?" Legolas said angrily.

"I didn't wish it, I craved, but I didn't do it." I said, tears falling from my eyes but still I glared at him.

"What should stop you now?" he asked, mockingly.

"That craving began because of my lust after you, I didn't crave to devour a random person, or your entire body for that matter, I craved an essence of you." I growled, clenching my jaw.

"Essence?" he asked, his tone softening, as was his grip.

"A mark. Just like men and women wear rings upon their fingers, my bite, my mark...would signify the same." I said. His eyes widened a bit and I sighed, looking away.

"You need not worry though. That urge will soon pass, and you may choose an Elven maiden from a High Council." I said, then walked swiftly into the darkness, my silver orbs adjusting and lighting my way as I took after the group and caught up. We soon emerged from the stair and my breath left my lungs as I gazed at the view as I walked out and looked up. I slowly walked down the steps ahead of the others, knowing they did not see as I saw.

"It's beautiful." I whispered.

"Let me risk a little more light." Gandalf mumbled, and soon the others saw as I saw.

"Behold the great realm of the dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf." he said.

"There's an eye opener, make no mistake." Sam whispered. I smiled as the great towering pillars of lined down the great hall, and halls. I could only imagine the beauty of such a place. We walked forward, gazing up at the pillars the lined every which way. To the left, right, forward and back, the pillars were everywhere. My palm grazed the soft stone and flickers of the old life came to my eyes. We wandered until a pale light my eye.

"Oh!" Gimli spoke and ran to the doorway, corpses fallen at the sides of the open doors. I followed after him as he came to a stop.

"No...no.." he said, his voice weakening with grief. He sank to his knees before the large tombstone, grasping his axe in hand, his head bowed as he weeped. The others sweeped in.

"Here lies Balin, son of Hundin, Lord of Moria." Gandalf said. "He is dead then...it's as I feared." he spoke. Gimli weeped, wailed, knocking his helmet against the tombstone. Gandalf moved onto to a soldier, and brought up a dusty book, thick in binding, opening it and blowing off the pages, running his hand over them.

"We must move on, we cannot linger." Legolas said to Aragorn, who nodded in agreement.

"They have taken the bridge. And the second hall. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums...drums in the deep. We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out…" Gandalf looked up. "They are coming."

BANG! We all looked over and saw Pippin holding Gandalf's hat bumbly, backing away from the now falling backwards corpse, to which it fell into the well, and deep into the caves, the bucket following, the chains rattling. Each rattle, bang, clang and boom sent my nerves on end til I was red with adrenaline and a need to send Pippin to the grave. A silence was in the air, and the others could not hear it...but I could.

"Fool of a took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" Gandalf spat.

"Oh god.." I whispered. I could hear them waking up, their chatters, their shrieks.

Boom!

All the attention went to the well, but I was panicking. I could hear them, we wouldn't get out in time.

Boom!

Boom boom!

Boomboomboom!

Boomboomboombommboomboom!

My hands began to shake and I snarled a loud roar.

"They are coming, you idiots!" I roared. My eyes were red with anger and I cracked my neck.

"Orcs!" Legolas spat. Boromir ran to the doors, and two arrows landed not a few inches from his head. He looked at them in disgust. I came up from behind and pulled them out, stepping out of the door grabbing a forgotten bow, I fired them back to the two orcs so stupidly standing not far off. The arrows hit them into the head and they fell back dead. A roar sounded and I ran back, taking defense where Aragorn had taken his place next to Boromir, standing in front of the hobbit protectively.

"They have a cave troll." Boromir said in mocking cheerfulness. Legolas threw him an axe, one after another, as they began to bar the door shut with them. Legolas took his place next to me and I shifted my wolf, but this time, it felt different. I was larger, and I felt my fur was cooler than usual.

"An armored wolf, that's new." Pippin said behind me. A bang sounded from the door and I growled. Gimli gave his own warning.

"Let them come! There is still one dwarf left in Moria who still draws breath!" he said. Aragorn pulled his arrow back in his bow and stood on my right as Legolas was on my left. Boromir stood next to Legolas and flipped his broadsword in hand. We were all shaking with adrenaline. Spears began to break through the wood and I growled lowly, my ears laid back and my fangs growing longer. A clear hole was made in the door and Legolas loosed an arrow into it, killing the Orc. Aragorn loosed his into it, and Legolas pulled an arrow back. With a loud break, Orcs broke through and I burst into action, leaping onto them and ripping their armor off, removing their heads from their bodies. Arrows flew past and I caught some into my side and swiped at more Orcs, catching them with my fangs and throwing them to the side. Soon I could the clang of the others fighting and moved around them, slamming my now giant wolf into them and crushing them and snarling at the others. I heard Gandalf and the Hobbits yell and begin to stab at one Orc or two. I jumped onto the bodies of other Orcs, taking off one head after another, after another, hopping through the sea of bodies to leave a trail of dead ones. The chaos stilled as the thumping could be heard and I tore an Orc's body in half to see the Cave Troll approach. It broke through the doorframe and was led by a tiny Orc by a pathetic chain. It roared and Legolas loosed an arrow into it's chest. It stumbled then roared at him. I ran and shifted, roaring back, I didn't know what my form was. I roared again and lunged, taking a bite of the Troll and ripping off some of his arm. It screeched then stumbled in another direction and tried to hit Sam, who yelled then ran through the trolls legs. An Orc ran for Legolas's back and I dove, taking it down and tearing it to shreds, then diving through the mess to link my jaws through the chain attached to the Troll and pull roughly away from Sam, making it stumble back then move on to rip off another Orc's head. A yell sounded through the room and I saw Boromir crash into the wall by the force of the Troll's hammer. I didn't care if he hated me, he was a part of the group. Orcs turned and ran for him, but with promising swiftness, I dove straight for him and stood on my hind legs and snarled stomping back onto my front paws. An Orc shot into my muzzle and I swiped him aside, making sure no Orc touched the unconscious Boromir. I shifted back and jerked him awake.

"BOROMIR!" I screamed. An Orc stabbing into my side and I turned, taking the sword out of me and cutting his head off. Boromir shook himself awake and stared at me. I nodded in question and he nodded in return, standing and barreling back into battle with a great yell. I turned and saw the Troll trying to hit Sam, but given Sam's size and quickness, ended up hitting the Orcs instead.

"That idiot just made my job alot easier." I laughed. A screech sounded to my right and I stabbed the Orc in the face, kicking him backward off the blade. Two arrows went past my head as I saw the Troll come towards me and a fallen Gimli. I looked and watched as Legolas killed three Orcs in a matter of seconds, then everything seemed to slow. The Troll whipped his chains in Legolas's direction, again, then again and I was tense everywhere. The troll's chains got caught on a pillar and Legolas ran onto the chain, then standing upon the Troll and firing an arrow into it's head and jumping down. I ran up to him and wiped the Orc blood from my mouth.

"Are you ok?" I asked, concern and fear written in my eyes. He nodded.

"Frodo!" Aragorn shouted. I turned and saw the Troll peering around a pillar. Frodo must've been there. A piercing pain came up my side and I yelped. Legolas stabbed the Orc in the face with his blade and I stabbed the other coming up from behind him. Frodo's cries filled the air and I turned, seeing the Troll pick Frodo up by his feet. I stiffened in fear then watched as a group of Orc's circled me and Legolas. Almost almost all the ones that were left.

"Legolas, I want you to close your eyes." I told him. He looked at me like I was insane.

"Do it!" I snapped. He closed his eyes and I leaped onto each Orc, pulling off one limb or another, it only took a couple seconds, and I jumped right back onto the ground.

"Ok, open" I said, breathing harshly. He opened them and looked around. A cry from Frodo caught my attention once again and I watched in horror as he was trying to awaken an unconscious Aragorn. I bolted straight for him as Frodo tried to run, but was caught by the spear of the Troll, the Troll then pulled back the spear, aiming for him. Frodo was terrified. I shifted back to human and dove, slapping my palms on either side of the pillar, directly in front of Frodo. I felt my back break, my flesh tear, my blood fall from my mouth and I still I stood there, even as the Troll growled in disapproval and reached further through my body with the spear to try and kill Frodo. I smiled at the small Hobbit, wincing as the metal was still through me. My hands were shaking, my entire body was. Frodo was staring at me in shock, his eyes wide, his mouth hung open. I leaned my head forward and whispered.

"Run…" I said. He ran to Aragorn's side, who was now awake, and who now pushed him behind him. The Troll pulled back on the spear, but it was so tightly dug into my body, that when he lifted the spear, I was still attached to it. I could feel the darkness fading in, so I let go.


	8. Chapter 9

I do not own LOTR

****Legolas****

Frodo's screams filled the air and I turned to see not Frodo, nor Aragorn...but her. Everything seemed to slow then. Her limp body lifted in the air at the end of the spear, blood dripping from her mouth, her wound. I…

"NO!" I roared, firing arrow after arrow into the beast, into it's leg, it's arm, it's eyes, it's head. The Troll dropped the spear aside, her body mangled on the end as it roared in pain. I watched as Pippin and Merry yelled, leaping onto the troll and stabbing into it's skull. The troll grabbed Merry, holding him by his legs upside down. Gandalf and Gimli sliced their axe and sword into the Troll, having it drop Merry onto the ground. As Pippin stabbed one last time into the Troll, sending it arching back, I fired an arrow into the Troll's neck. The Troll then fell, groaning first, and then crashing, having Pippin fall as well. I ran to her, dropping my bow and picking her up.

"Leena." I murmurred. She didn't wake. She didn't breathe. Frodo dove to my side and slowly pulled the spear from her back. I couldn't look, the wound that killed her. Agony, despair, it all filled me and I couldn't contain. For once, I would not. I gripped her body close to mine and shook my head as hot, stinging tears slipped from my eyes. Aragorn kneeled next to Frodo as the others gathered, breathless.

"Wait.." Frodo said suddenly. I stopped and looked at him, ready to kill.

"Listen." he said. I did, stilling my grief to hear whispers. From her. I turned her head gently to face me and saw her eyes wide open, glowing. They were like the moon, and a language I didn't understand came from her.

"Oh...this is...most troubling…" Gandalf said.

"What is she saying?" I asked.

"It's a spell...of death and reawakening."

"What does that mean?"

"She will die, and after I will soon follow. If I die, the same will happen to her."

"You are going to die?"

"Indeed, it seems. But not now. We must hurry." He said, grabbing my shoulder.

"Bring her, hold her close. She is not dead yet, there is still hope." he said. I stared at him and gathered her in my arms. Gandalf ran, sprinted, as did we all. Running from the Orcs, Goblins and what other dark things that did lie in these overrun mines. We ran from the tomb back into the great hall, hearing screams, screeches, and cries fill the hall. I looked up to see all of them climbing down the pillars from the ceiling. It was not long before they had us in a circle, ready to attack. there was no where to run.

A loud roar sounded through the hall, and the Orcs jumped back, looking at each other, and then another roar sounded, this time sending them off. Gimli laughed, but I knew that was foolish. Flames had been awoken.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir murmured to Gandalf. I watched as the farthest halls began to light up in the color of fire, and the roar sounded closer now.

"A Balrog. A demon of the Ancient World. This foe is beyond any of you…RUN!" he yelled. We turned and ran, to the bridge of Khazad Dum. We ran through and entrance and Boromir stumbled down the steps, then halted abruptly, about to fall, but I reached forward and pulled him back, falling back as well. Leena in my lap between Boromir and I. The staircase had broken off at that end. I stood, setting him upright, and readjusting her in my arms. I leaped over the side of the staircase on to the other as I ran down ahead of the group, something I'm sure she herself would do. I leaped over the broken gap and held her in my arms, then looked at Boromir, who then jumped as well, and I caught him with my arm. Gandalf came, then looked back.

"Boromir, hold her, please." I asked, handing Leena to him. He nodded and took her in his arms.

"She's as light as a feather." he said. I turned and nodded to the Wizard.

"Gandalf." I said. He nodded and jumped and I caught him, nodding him to keep going. An arrow fired and bounced off the step. I turned and fire two back to the targets, watching them fall from their perch. Aragorn yelled, throwing the three Hobbits first, as well as Gimli jumping on his own, but almost fell and I caught him by his beard and pulled him up. Aragorn and Frodo were the last two left. The Balrog was approaching and the caverns shook, sending great rocks falling. As one fell, and crushed the other half of the stairs, it fell forward and I caught Aragorn and Frodo as they landed on our side, and we ran. We had our eyes set on the bridge and we were so close. The fires were set upon the Halls, and Boromir smoothly passed me back my Leena. A roar sounded from behind and I turned seeing the Balrog then begin to chase us. I ran faster, racing after Frodo and finally reaching the other side of the bridge, only to turn and see Gandalf stand upon the bridge. I looked down to see the light from Leena's eyes begin to fade, the whispers die out.

"No." I whispered.

"You cannot pass!"

"Gandalf!"

"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, Flame of Udun." Gandalf cried, lifting his staff as it glowed with brightness. The Balrog brought his great fiery weapon down upon Gandalf's staff, but it did not work.

"Go back to the shadow." he growled out to the demon. The Balrog took a step toward the great Wizard and drew a whip made of flames.

"You shall not pass!" Gandalf roared, rearing both his sword and staff up and it bringing it down upon the bridge. The Balrog snorted in his face and took a step further, only to fall with the shattering half of the bridge, falling down into the darkness. Gandalf watched for a second or two, and then turned. The whip soundlessly came and latched onto Gandalf and pulled on him, making him almost fall, but he caught the edge of the bridge.

"No,no!" Boromir yelled, catching Frodo, who screamed : 'GANDALF!'

I watched in horror as the Wizard struggled to climb, then stilled, watching us.

"Fly, you fools." He whispered. Then fell…

Frodo screamed and struggled with Boromir and a heaviness filled my heart, but aragorn pushed me on, and on we went ducking the arrows of a grief filled silence, until we ran and arrived at our freedom, the hills. I looked around at the weeping, the grieving, and held Leena in my arms. She was still, no heartbeat, no whispers...she was dead. Gandalf was dead. I looked at the others and couldn't think. I could not believe that this had happened…

"Legolas. Get them up." Aragorn said. I looked out over the rolling hills, then turned and slowly knelt Leena down upon the ground. I closed my eyes and looked away, walking to Pippin and Merry.

"Give them a moment, for pity's sake."

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlorien." Aragorn spoke, sheathing his sword. I winced and took Pippin and Merry's hands, pulling them up. I gathered Leena in my arms, perhaps Galadriel could help us. I started down the hills after Aragorn, holding Leena close in my arms. For a couple hours we walked, but it was when Frodo came to my side and looked at Leena that I realized we had reached the edges of Lothlorien.

"You meant so much to her." He spoke sadly.

"I was unaware she discussed personal feelings with you." I said, knowing my tone to be a little bit less weak than his, but that was only because I didn't know how else to speak with this much pain.

"No...but when she gave me the image of my home, she told me that when I feel grief, and the hardship of this journey, I should remember it and hold onto that image." he said, and then his voice became weaker, tears falling down his cheeks. "And when I asked her what she will remember when she is in grief, she said she'll always remember meeting you…" he said.

I stopped and looked down at her. My heart seemed to shatter over and over again at the image of her gazing back up at me on the first day of the journey after speaking with Frodo, so much light in her eyes.

"Me?" I asked, my voice almost non existent as I breathed out. Frodo nodded and walked ahead. I clutched her and felt something wet fall down my cheeks and realized...I was crying.

"Legolas, hurry." Boromir yelled. I nodded and ran, pressing her cold body to my chest and running into the woods. We stopped as the moss covered trees had their leaves falling. The stillness of the air was strange. I knew...Archers were most likely ready. Gimli warned the Hobbits about foolish Dwarf superstitions of Galadriel, calling her an enchantress of terrible power. I walked closely to Aragorn and looked around the trees. I stopped as I heard the creak of a bow and stilled, letting the arrow come to my head. As did two other, one to my side and one from behind.

"The Dwarf breathed so loud we could've shot him in the dark." Haldir spoke, coming from behind one of his captain. He looked at me and Aragorn and lead us to one of their posts. A guard attempted to take Leena from my arms but I glared at him and shook my head. It was nightfall by that time. Haldir approached and I placed Leena in Boromir's arm and looked over at Haldir as he pressed his hand to his chest and spoke calmly.

"_Mae govannen Legolas Thranduilion." _Haldir said. I tried to seem welcoming, but it was impossible. I briskly returned the gesture and uttered the same greeting then looked away as he looked at Aragorn. Haldir then noticed not only Gimli, who then insulted him, but also Frodo, and what lay beneath the cover of his shirt. It was then the argument began. Aragorn begged, pleaded, needing shelter, a place to rest, safe homage. The night went on the same, and I took Leena from Boromir's arms. It was then I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to look, only to find Haldir staring intently at Leena.

"Who is this?"He asked.

"Leena." I said.

"Ah...Leena." he said, then ran his finger across her cheek and fury rose within my chest.

"Come." he said, looking at me and Aragorn, then walking over and speaking to Frodo.

We walked for the rest of the night, until the brink of dawn, and it was when we emerged from the woods that I gazed upon it.

"Caras Galadhon. The heart of Elvendom on Earth. Realm of the lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, Lady of Light." he said. I gazed upon the beautiful forest covered in orange and pink mist. We walked then on into the realm of Celeborn and Galadriel, and it seemed eyes were watching me everywhere. We walked up long winding steps into the bright forest, and air of purity around us all. Stairs and steps leading us paster lanterns, great tree trunks of white, and steps of alabaster. Until finally, we came upon the homes of the Elves, their stairs winding with the trees. It was night once again, and we climbed the long steps to Galadriel's house, the light's making our surroundings seem blue. We, the Fellowship, stopped at the bottom of the steps, and all my attention was then on the two emerging beings of light. The wisdom, the beauty, the elegance was unmatched...but somehow, as I looked down at Leena once more, I saw that her light was far brighter, stronger.

"The enemy knows you have entered here. What hope you had in secrecy is now gone. Eight there are here, yet nine there were set out from Rivendell. Tell me, where is Gandalf, for I much desire to speak with him. I can no longer see him from afar."

"Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land. He has fallen into shadow." she spoke with deep sorrow, and a shocked look came upon her. Fury rose up in my chest, as did grief. It seemed that Leena was not even written as a part of our Fellowship, but she was the one who died for it. I bit back my feeling, looking down at Leena only to remember Gandalf and spoke.

"He was taken by both shadow and flame. A Balrog of Morgoth. For we went needlessly into the net of Moria" I said.

"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life. We do not yet know his full purpose." Galadriel spoke, then turned and gazed upon Gimli.

"Do not let the great emptiness of Khazad Dum fill your heart Gimli, son of Gloin. For the world has grown full of peril. And in all lands love is now mingled with grief." Galadriel spoke to the rest of the Fellowship, and they were dismissed, but not I. She told me to stay. Galadriel's eyes shut, then turned and focused on me.

"Ten...ten set out from Rivendell. Legolas. Who do you hold in your arms?" Galadriel asked. The Fellowship was out of range and I stepped forward, holding Leena out to her.

"No." Galadriel's eye shimmered and she covered her mouth. I was shocked. The Lady of Light was weeping. Her body shook and she turned away and ran from Celeborn's side. I stared down at Leena, then felt cold hands touch my arms. I looked up and watched as Celeborn took Leena into his arms and released a shuddery sigh.

"My niece." he spoke and I felt my body go cold. "Galadriel's sister was thought dead, no kin or kindness besides that of my own and our daughter, who is now dead." he said. His eyes then looked into mine and I held my head high.

"And yet you bring her near death to our doorstep." he glared at me.

"W-what? Near...near death?" I asked. She was still alive? My heart was beating so hard I could hear it in my ears.

"Of course, and now to revive her, for the sake of Gandalf. I care not for her myself, i watched as she grew...such an ungrateful whelp." he growled out at her pale face. I stiffened but then a scream sounded.

"You dare to say such things of my sister's child? My kin?" she shrieked from the top of the steps. He turned and faced her, but he had fear in his eyes.

"She is hardly your kin, Galadriel. She is wrathful, full of vengeance. She is not an Elf." he said. Her body shook and I backed away as her eyes became like Leena's, silver orbs, but the rest of her body was lit by darkness, and her voice screamed and roared.

"You knew her to be alive all this time, and you hadn't the kindness to tell me of her. Your judgement is not a right to have." she yelled. Celeborn's head fell forward in shame. Her darkness fell away, but still the fearsome look was there.

"Give her to Legolas and he shall come with me." she spoke. Celeborn placed Leena back in my arms and I cradled her. Galadriel glared at Celeborn and shook her head.

"Leave." she boomed. He bowed his head and hurried past her into their home as she watched him out of the corner of her eye. her gaze came back to me and she walked down the steps once again, but with swifter speed.

"Come, we must awaken her." she said. I nodded once, gently and followed her. she walked down the winding staircase and glided across a long meadow where a thick group of trees were shaped. She pushed back the thick branch with ease and I moved past her. We stopped at the edge of a glistening sapphire lake.

"Enter." she spoke. I slowly walked in, but felt no bottom and shouted as I was sucked down into the water. I closed my eyes, kicking, but to no avail, and shouted for her to help, only to hear my voice echo. I blinked and looked around to find myself in a dark forest, Leena gone from my arms. I stepped forward and walked, touching the trees and wincing as they were ringing with pain. A scream sounded not far off and I blindly sprinted towards it. Flames reached up the trees, across the ground, and I watched in horror as Leena was chained to a post in a circle made from fire. I looked and saw the long spiked whip lying lazily to the side of wielder, a creature with pale skin and long black horns, strange markings down its forearms.

"Kill the child." it's voice was dark, deep, and unnatural. I looked and saw a small brown haired boy with blue eyes crying in a separate circle, wailing blindly.

"I will not kill him." Leena whispered. My eyes snapped back to her. They didn't seem to see me, so I stepped closer. She rose to her feet, and it was then I saw how beaten she was.

"You kill him, you bear my child, or you die." the horned beast said.

"Die then, you fucker. I'd rather die." she smirked. In a quick move, he was breathing against her ear with his foul mouth. I walked forward as my need to see him dismembered and discarded was powerful.

"How odd, given the only fear you have is of dying." he murmurred.

"Yeah? Then why did I let that troll skewer me like a wild boar?" she challenged.

"Cause you are an insolent bitch!" he roared, raising his hand with the whip.

"You bet I fucking am, Demon." She snarled back, and spat blood in his face. He screamed and covered his face, dropping the whip in the process. I grabbed it and lashed it out, washing as it wrapped around his neck. I jerked it back and watched as he fell, then I dove. I began to choke him with the whip, watching blood slide from his lips. As I was kneeling over his choking body.

"Kill him!" I heard her scream. I pulled the two ends of the whip apart and took his head off. The two circles of flame died and the boy vanished, but she fell to the ground, breathing harshly.

"Leena?" I whimpered. She was so hurt, wounded, but I couldn't help but feel the relief of seeing her breathing, her eyes lit with anger. I pulled her close and held her in my arms, breathing in her scent and sensing as she became limp in my grasp.

"Why did you turn away from me?" she cried out, pushing me away. I pulled back and looked at her.

"What?"

"You turned away from me, you hated me." she breathed, tears falling down her face. I shook my head, narrowing my eyes at her.

"I never did." I said. she snarled, her usual beauty vanishing to reveal long fangs and blood dripping them, staining them. She vanished with a swirling black fog and I stiffened as I saw through her eyes. First sitting upon the cold rock steps. Anguish and pain filled her chest as her body went as cold as ice, her throat feeling as if someone had forced daggers inside of it.

'_Why am I a monster?' _she whispered to herself as a tear slid down her cheek and I fell back. I watched as her gaze then went to a hateful Boromir and...me. I held such a disgusted, cruel and heartless look, full of malicious loathing, and small memories flashed before her eyes, then that look I held twisted her feelings into pain and hatred. I covered my mouth as she snarled at me after attacking Boromir, and it killed her inside seemingly, even more when I was spewing venom at her before she told me why she craved my essence.

Reality sunk back into the place from the corners of my eyes and stretching out to show Galadriel holding Leena in a tight welcome embrace. I stood and looked at Leena who slowly turned around and was holding her stomach, clutching it, small blood stains lingering. I sighed and backed away, turning and pushing the bushes back. I heard the Fellowship chattering in the not so far off distance and followed their voices until I reached them, sitting along with them and discussing Gandalf and his memory, but truly my thoughts lingered on the young woman I lost in the mines because of my cold heart.


End file.
